Give us the proposal details! When? Where? How?
Jeff tricked me into going to Palm Springs to go to a UNLV basketball game nearby. He knows I love it there. Since we are both huge sports fans, of course, I said let’s go! He booked a room at the Ritz Carlton for the weekend and while driving down from Vegas I talked about weddings and proposals the entire time. I had no idea it was happening that night and made some crazy requests! When we got to the hotel we did a walk of the property which I thought was weird since it was night time and we couldn’t see much, but I was memorized by the biggest Christmas tree I had ever seen. We finally went upstairs to change for dinner. Jeff was being very relaxed and acting a little strange. I asked him what to wear and where we were going, and then it hit me. For the past 7 years, he had never made a reservation without asking me and he was never so calm when I was taking forever to get ready. He left the room to make a phone call, and while he was gone I searched his bags for a ring! Luckily, I did not find one and thought maybe I was reading into things too much. After 45 minutes, Jeff finally returned and said his mom had seen the Christmas tree and wanted us to take a picture out front. I made up every excuse not to because it was dark and there was no one to take it, but he insisted that it be tonight and we would ask someone in the lobby to walk us outside and take it. As we were walking to take the photo, I started to shake and get really nervous. It was happening! The entire walk to the tree I apologized to the guy who had graciously agreed to take the photo in the cold for us and told him how annoying we must be. He just smiled and started taking photos. Jeff then asked for one more picture, and that’s when he got down on his knee and pulled out the ring. I don’t remember exactly what he said, but it was short and sweet. He got up and hugged the guy who took the photo, again, very out of character and then they both started laughing. Earlier that night when Jeff left to “make a phone call”, he had actually gone to see if someone would help him pull the proposal off. The guy he ended up finding had actually been one of his teammates on a baseball team when they were younger, and they hadn’t seen each other in years. It was like it was meant to be! After the proposal, Jeff told me that there were no dinner reservations at the restaurant we had planned on going to, but there was a reservation in an hour at the hotel restaurant overlooking the city, and giving me enough time to make all my calls to my family and friends. He had still managed to surprise me and it was so nice to enjoy the moment just the two of us for a few days!
What has been your favorite experience planning the wedding?
Asking my bridesmaids to be in the wedding was my favorite part, so far. I don’t usually get emotional, but I started crying when I gave my speech because I was just overwhelmed by how much these girls mean to me. A lot of the girls in the wedding have known Jeff and me I for almost 15 years, so they have seen our whole love story evolve and been there every step of the way.
How do you stay sane under the pressures of wedding planning?
I keep pretty busy with my job, but I also teach a spin class for fun. When I get overwhelmed it’s nice to take a break and get my workout in. Plus, I get to engage with others and make their day a little better too!
What is your favorite part of using Joy for your wedding?
I feel that Joy is more personal than other sites. I like the tidbits and Q&A sections, it allows for more interaction with your guests.
What piece of advice would you give couples to ensure that they use Joy to its fullest potential?
I would start this portion of the wedding planning early. I am less than six months away from my wedding and my fiance travels for six months at a time. So, I wish I would have answered a lot of these questions with him before he left!
At Joy we believe that even though a wedding lasts a day, joy lasts forever. What does that mean to you?
Our wedding is just a day and I want to make that day the best day for both us and our loved ones. Our marriage, like joy, will last forever!
