Our Story
How We Met:
Alice's Story: I love free stuff. Mike creates luxury real estate websites. So naturally we both decided to take a free real estate class in 2005 where we could learn how to buy and sell a first home. Everyone else in the class was either married, engaged, or dating ... except us. And that's how we sat one chair apart from each other.
At first, I talked to him, but he didn't say anything back. So the next time, I silently vowed not to talk to him again if he didn't say anything to me first. Luckily, he spoke up, and what a sexy voice! By the end of the class, we exchanged numbers and within a week, we had our first date at Discovery Park. You can create your own story from there.
Even though we both arrived in Seattle the same year to attend school, 2000, and may have crossed paths many times before, it took us 5 years to finally meet. Funny how fate works. And that's why we are celebrating our wedding exactly 5 years from our first date!
How We Got Engaged
Mike's Story: Alice is from Hawaii, and that's where her parents live. I had planned to fly out there secretly for a just a couple days, ask her parents' blessing in person, then fly back with a ton of delicious Hawaiian-only food. Then we'd have a picnic at our first date spot, I'd bring out the food, she'd be surprised, I'd tell her about the trip, I'd do anything for you, propose, yes, crying, joy.
That didn't happen because when I told her parents I was flying down to talk to them they understood and appreciated my motives, but feared Alice would take my flying to Hawaii behind her back the wrong way. I respected that, canceled all my plans, and thought of an emergency Plan B.
Plan B involved reserving the nicest table in a semi-private room at the restaurant at Salish Lodge, overlooking Snoqualmie Falls. I brought in six photos of us that I had framed and added titles to beforehand, along with some personalized poetry for each photo. I arranged for each one to be brought out during the dinner (which was 6+ courses so that worked out very well). Each photo was for a certain time in our relationship, from the beginning, to dating, to moving in, etc. Photo #5 was actually a mirror, titled "What's Next?", with the most romantic, sappy poetry you've ever heard. That's when I would pop the question.
So I surprised Alice with the dinner, thankfully she honestly thought I was just surprising her with a really special dinner, and was being extra sweet with the photos. When the "What's Next?" photo came out she was awfully suspicious, more so when I got down on one knee and proposed to her. She said yes! She even came down on the floor and we hugged, kissed, etc. Afterwards I had the server take our picture with a Polaroid I'd brought to tape onto the mirror in the photo frame. Afterwards I had one last photo brought out, of us as old geezers, with poetry like "Even when we're changing each other's bedpans I'll still love you just as much", which she liked. And life is good.
