Sometimes, a proposal story just BEGS to be posted in its entirety. Vanessa and Brian’s is one of those: “We were on the Stacey family (Brian’s family) vacation in the Cayman Islands. It was our second day there and I was starving. I had a long day of trying to overcome my fear of large bodies of water and meeting the entire Stacey family. We hadn’t eaten since that morning so I was really excited about going to dinner. When everyone decided it was time to get ready, Cass (Brian’s sister) told me since it was the first night everyone dressed nice. So, I was thinking beach nice. You know, a dress, minimal makeup and windblown hair. I mean we were on a small island—how dressy can it be, right? Anyway, I get ready in the previous fashion and go downstairs to wait for everyone else to be ready. Once there, Brian tells me to go fix my hair and put on makeup. Rude! I was SO mad! I could not understand why he was so worried about my hair and makeup. But I ‘fixed’ my hair and makeup and this is when my pouting began. Everyone was finally ready and we were all piling into the van to go to dinner. I was still mad at Brian so I didn’t sit next to him. Instead I climbed in the back with Brian’s sister Becca. We are on the road almost to the restaurant when Brian’s dad drives right past it. I immediately popped up in my seat asking why we were passing the place we all decided to go to. Brian’s dad then tells me this is the best time to see starfish at Starfish Point so we were going there first. I said, ‘I am so hungry my stomach hurts! Why can’t we go another time??’ Everyone tells me we won’t be long so I sit quietly and pout some more. Next we pull into this sketchy lot and Brian, Michael and their dad go look for starfish (yay…). Becca, Brian’s mom, Cass and I are all waiting and I am complaining the entire time like a little brat. Then Brian’s dad comes back to the van alone. This made me even more of a brat because I knew we wouldn’t be eating anytime soon. Brian’s dad then tells us Brian found a starfish he wants everyone to see so we needed to go there. I look at Becca and she is so excited about seeing this starfish. I was so confused as to why she was jumping out of the van for a starfish and I told them I might just stay there while they went to find this starfish. Becca convinces me to go with them because of the sketchy field we were in. Did I really want to be alone in a passenger van in a sketchy field on a small island? No. So, I embark on this adventure to see a starfish. Not before I continued my pouting by slamming the door shut and slowly walking the quarter mile about 20 feet behind everyone. Once we finally find Brian and Mike, Brian’s dad tells Brian to show me that starfish he found. Brian jumps up out a bush and says, ‘What starfish?? I didn’t find a starfish.’ I got so angry. I said, ‘WHAT?!’ Brian recovers by telling me he found a sand dollar and to come look at it. In my head I’m thinking, ‘This better be a damn good sand dollar.’ So, I make a beeline for the shore to see the sand dollar so we can go eat dinner because I’m still starving. Yes, I know, BRAT! Brian says to me, ‘Hey what did you just walk through?’ I’m thinking, ‘Great, what now?’ Then I look down and see writing in the sand but because I walked through it I can’t make out some words. Brian then gets down on one knee and I am so confused for a second. He pulls out a ring box and says, ‘Will you marry me, baby?’ I started crying and hugged him and he was saying sweet things that I can’t remember now because I was in shock. Finally, everyone asks if I said, ‘Yes,’ and I say, ‘Yes.’ I told Brian I wanted two things for a proposal, to be surprised and to get pictures. He did a wonderful job because while the entire thing was going on his whole family was taking pictures and I had NO idea he was about to ask. It was perfect. Needless to say, I wasn’t hungry anymore. We went to dinner after to celebrate and I took my whole meal home. The whole time I was thinking about how blessed I am to have such a wonderful man to marry and to be joining such a loving family. The Cayman Islands 2012 is now my favorite vacation of all time because I left with the best souvenirs, Brian as my fiancé and the Staceys as my new in-laws.” As for the wedding itself, held at Amber Springs’ Stonebrook Hall, we’ll let Civic Photos’ fantastic pix tell that story. Congratulations, Vanessa and Brian, wishing you a lifetime of love.
Photos: Civic Photos ~ Bride’s Dress: Winnie Couture ~ Cake: Supreme Kakes & More ~ Flowers: Pearls & Roses ~ Venue: Amber Springs
