From unexpected proposals to gifts on the wedding day, we love seeing couples surprise each other! Our very own Alissa has been engaged to her partner Bethany for over a year. The two are in the planning stages for their destination wedding in Greece! That European affair will be in spring 2017, and we can’t wait to be a part of it!
So what sort of surprise can be planned when you’ve been engaged for a year, and your wedding is almost a year away? Well, celebrate the anniversary of your engagement, of course! We talked to Alissa, who orchestrated this surprise adventure at Chicago’s Field Museum, and she gave us all the details!
Where did you get this idea?
Bethany proposed to me a year ago in Los Angeles, on a mountaintop overlooking the city. This year, on our anniversary weekend, I wanted to return the gesture with a surprise ring for Bethany, and incorporate close friends and family. The day before, we were actually in the David Yurman store, looking at the exact ring! Little did Bethany know, I had already purchased it! It was hard to not giggle as she looked at the very same ring in the store.
Why the Field Museum?
Bethany is a history buff, and I love cool artifacts. Plus – who doesn’t love a big T Rex?
What sort of planning goes into a surprise like this?
This was admittedly a last minute plan. I had to collect phone numbers from Bethany for close friends in the area, and try to get everyone in the loop with the plan. Everyone was to arrive at the museum a bit before the surprise, and hide themselves around the proposal point until I got down on one knee. The morning of, I had to make sure she was wearing something nicer without giving it away, so I told her we’d be taking a lot of selfies and I wanted her to look dapper!
What was your favorite part of the experience?
Surprising Bethany is my favorite thing ever. Seeing her excitement as her besties emerged from their hiding spots and I gave her the ring was priceless! Then we all went to a family & friends dinner to celebrate together. It was a perfect day!
I was so glad to have Gold Grid there to capture this moment. My friends’ cell phone photos, while great to have, can’t compare to these perfect candids of Bethany’s surprised face!
