Our Engagement Story

I have no idea why it has me so long to write this story, but three years ago, on this day. I said yes to the man I have now called my husband for almost two years already. Pre-Engagement Ring Story: here.

a pre-side note: a little after 2 months of dating, we made the road trip down to celebrate New Years eve there and shared our first "i love you's" in the packed streets watching the (guitar) drop. It was the first visit to Nashville for this country-music-loving couple and we left just adoring the city.

6 months later, we made plans to fly to Nashville again because my husband's younger brother was about to deploy to Afghanistan. We couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend a little time with him before he left. The husband and I made our way to the hotel to get everything settled, then met up with his brother. They took me boot shopping, and I walked out of the store with not one but THREE pairs. I'm a lucky gal.

Next stop was the Country Music Hall of Fame. The first time the husband and I were there over New Years, they were closed. So we played tourists.

Brother in law (left) Husband (right)

At this point in time, I didn't expect anything different, but then the three of us went to the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner. Let's say my husband's brother isn't very secretive and mentioned something to my husband about "well why don't you ask her now". I played it off as if I heard nothing but deep down I knew at some point that weekend it was going to happen, and I got anxious. 

We finished our dinner, and the boys decided to order some shots. I didn't want to take one, but the waiter wanted to give me a hard time, and got the entire restaurant to start chanting "Whitney...Whitney...Whitney..."

I caved and took the shot. Little did I know it was a shot of Jack Daniel's. I took it like a champ, compared to the boys, thanks to all that pressure.

We left, my face still red with embarrassment, and headed to one of my favorite bars: Coyote Ugly. We spent most of the night there, and had quite the time with the rest of his family. But during that night, I received a shot from one of the bartenders, that I didn't take right. Again, full of embarrassment on my part, I stormed out of the bar.

The husband followed me, calmed me down and sat me down on a ledge of a business window in one of the quiet side streets. I just kept repeating over and over to him "I just want to go back to the hotel. Take me back to the hotel." 

He says at this point he was down on his knees already with me and thought it would be a the perfect time. He looks up at me, took his hands in mine and said "Whitney you can't go home yet, I've had this waiting in my pocket for the past two days." (pulls out the ring from his front pocket) and asks me (full name and all) if I would like to marry him.

I was in complete shock because I definitely was not expecting it to happen RIGHT there in that moment. I replied with the hugest smile on my face "Yes, of course I will."

We walked back to the hotel, hand in hand. Myself floating on cloud 9, leaving all of that embarrassment behind me. His parents and his brother were waiting to congratulate us. We then called my family to let them know the news, and went back out downtown to celebrate the rest of the night with his family.

The rest of the weekend was spent at one of their family-friends weddings near Fort Campbell, KY. The husband and I then said our "goodbyes" to his brother as he left that day to head over seas. We spent the next 9 hours in his truck together, talking about our wedding plans the entire ride home.

So now the city of Nashville has a near and dear place in my heart. It was the first place we shared our "I love yous" on a New Years Eve night, and the place where "I said yes"  only six months later, to spend the rest of my life with him.

Now, I realize that isn't the most romantic engagement story you have ever read. The trail of flower petals, standing on top of the Eiffel tower, and whatever else we girls dream up in our heads never happened. But in all honesty, who wants to all have the exact same story? Ours is quite unique and hard to match and I wouldn't trade my story or my husband for anything.

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