Engagement Story

It has been so fun reliving what I thought was the best day ever (it's for sure second, but getting married out did getting engaged). On my instagram (@the_rich_wife) I asked what people wanted to know about our engagement, so here ya go. Your questions have been answered! Jacob even got in on the fun and answered a few.

My responses are italicized, his are not. Enjoy ~

August 25, 2018 was a great day

How did you meet?

We were both on the track team and met in the gym during the first practice of the season. Our dislike of running is actually what brought us together in the first place.

We were starting our preseason running workouts for track, and we met during that. We both got there early and that is how we met.

How long did you date before getting engaged?

One year, 5 months and 6 days officially. We were “talking” or basically dating for a couple of months leading up to when we made our relationship official. We wanted to get to know each other really well before we started dating because we both saw dating with the intent of marriage. This was also the first relationship for both of us so we didn’t want to rush into it right away. (We go to a Christian university and its super common for people to meet during new student rush into a relationship and then break up. That’s not always the case though, just a lot of the time and we didn’t want that)

We had been dating for a little over a year before I proposed. We had basically been “dating” for three months before I asked her to be my girlfriend because we hung out literally all of the time. (Mostly going to the library and doing homework.)

How long did he plan it?

We started seriously talking about getting married late May/early June of that year. I would guess he started planning it around then!

I’m not really sure when I first started planning the engagement, but I bought the ring in June or July but knew that I wasn’t going to propose until we moved back to school. I was planning on taking her to the main places we would hang out while dating. I was going to wait until the weekend after I did, but I really just couldn’t wait so that’s why I did it when I did.

How and when did you know for sure that he was “the one”?

I am not a “love at first sight” person. I believe that love is developed over time. However, the very first time I met him, I felt like I heard God say “keep your eyes on him. He’s gonna be around for a long time.” As far as when I knew he was “the one”, I don’t know that there was one exact moment. We always have fun doing the typical and mundane things together.

I don't really think there was that one moment where I thought that she was the one, but I do think that it was early when I started to realize it. I honestly tried to not fall for her just because I had finally been ok with being single, and when I couldn't shake the feeling that I had for her I knew she was the one.

Did you suspect he was going to propose that day?

Not at first. I thought he was going to propose the next day for a while. Before we had moved back onto campus he suggested we go back to John Haye (it’s a little “beach” by the river) at sunset the first week of classes because we hadn’t done that in a while. I immediately thought, “Yep, he’s going to propose.” We don’t plan things like that weeks in advance. Ever. I had also told him one day that it would be pretty neat to get engaged at John Haye and I love sunsets. Well then that Friday he said he was going to have to go back home Sunday afternoon, so I thought, okay maybe he’ll propose a couple of weeks later (I was leaving the next Wednesday to go to San Diego to watch my younger brother graduate as a Marine). That Saturday at about 11:30 I realized he was going to propose that afternoon. We went and got donuts from our favorite donut shop (not that out of the ordinary for us) and went to the riverfront to eat them, and then went to Lovers Leap to just sit and talk. When we headed back to campus for lunch, he asked me if I wanted to go to John Haye after lunch. That’s when I knew for sure.

I mean I was pretty sure he was going to.

Was Jacob nervous the day of or act differently?

That morning he was perfectly normal. From about the time we headed back for lunch until really that evening he was acting so weird! He was super quiet at lunch (which is abnormal for him) and then he had to go back to his dorm for a little bit before we went to John Haye (I knew he probably had to grab the engagement ring, which he did). The entire way to John Haye (about 20 minutes) he was breathing really stressful. I am not sure of a better way to describe it! He was also really quiet.

I thought that I was keeping it calm cool and collected, but apparently I was not at all.

Do you remember what all he said or was it a blur?

I remember most of what he said. Somethings are a blur, but that's just because it was about a year ago. I won’t share all that I remember, but yeah I do remember most.

I honestly don't really remember much at all. I have a problem of kind of blacking out when I get really nervous.

Did you see someone taking pictures?

I did. It was a friend of ours from school and there was a picnic table off a little way from the sandy area. He and his girlfriend were at the table and they said they were just having a lunch date and he wanted to get some pictures of the river while they were there. Right when we pulled in I saw his car and knew that he was there to take pictures of us. (Jacob knows I love pictures so he wanted to make sure there were pictures of this important occasion. I love that about him)

Did you cry when he got down on one knee and asked you?

No. I’m not really a happy cryer… I didn’t cry at our wedding either… Oops

I am the emotional one, but I am proud to say that I kept it together.

Cheap wedding planning Tips?

I have so many tips. We wanted to make it a special day for us, but we didn’t want to blow all our money on one day when we have our entire future ahead of us. This is a really good idea for a whole separate blog! Click here to check it out

Did you pick the ring?

Not exactly. When we first started talking about getting engaged, Jacob had asked for me to look at some and send him ones I liked, because he wanted to make sure that he picked on I liked (even though he knew when it came down to it I wouldn’t really care, it’s the promise, not the ring). We looked at some online together and I sent him a few that I liked and then he picked the ring himself with those in mind.

She had sent me some ideas of rings that she liked, but I think that the one I got was one that I found on my own. It was kind of those "this is the one" moments.

Isn't is so pretty???

Thank you to everyone who asked questions so we could relive this day again and think about it a little differently.