So this month has been kind of crazy. On April 1, 2016 Chris asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. I know super girly, but I felt like a total princess & he made it one of the most amazing weekends of my life. He had his entire family there, our California friends, & best of all… my parents there to surprise me for the exciting day. I told you… princess.

Thursday he told me that Friday we would be going to dinner down in Dana Point & he kind of left it at that. Well, being the crazy person I am & hating having secrets, I asked him every question I could eluding to is this going to be the big day?? He wouldn’t tell me anything! Not even the restaurant that we were going to. Even when I confided in a few girlfriends… nothing. So when we got to Dana Point an hour before our reservation he suggested to go to the beach for a little walk.

About a year ago our best friend, Patrick, & I had found this little beach along PCH that I fell in love with. There are these amazing mansions along a gorgeous coast line, with a cute little boardwalk that is set below the houses & above the sand. (You’ve probably seen in on my Instagram a time or two. Beautiful.) Well like I said, I have fallen in love with this beach & I make sure I bring everyone I know here. So when we pulled in & Chris parked as far to the right of the beach I started looking around. Any car that I could recognize, but there was nothing.

After a lot of complaining, he finally got me to walk down the million steps, in my wedges, to the boardwalk. We hung out, walked & talked a little, until we were just about to the end when I said I needed to… go to the restroom… Yeah that’s right, girlfriend had to pee. So at the end of the boardwalk I hung left to head to the restroom & when I looked up there was my friend Bryan, a photographer, standing with his camera. (Check out his Website here and if you need someone in LA he is your guy!) Awkward. And oooh so nerve-racking.

Chris grabbed my hand & pulled me down to the sand where we started to walk toward the end of the beach. There was a blanket set up, a few candles in lanterns, & in the corner was a mason jar full of notes. One note was rolled opposite the others & he handed me that first. A note from him. We chatted… well he chatted, as I shook with nerves, until he pulled out the ring, when I shook some more.

The rest of the notes in the mason jars? Notes from our families & friends of congratulations & best wishes. And just when I thought it was done, Bryan came over to do a little engagement shoot with us in front of the sunset.

So remember that terrible walk down the stairs I complained about before? Well now it was time for us to walk up… & yes I complained the entire time. Even after I took my shoes off. Holy crap! We got to the top, jokes around with Bryan, & as I was putting on my shoes & we got closer to the parking lot Bryan started backing off. And then I realized all of our friends & Chris’s family were standing in the distance.

We all exchanged, hellos & congratulations & as I was hugging my future mother-in-law, I saw my parents over her shoulder. Pure princess moment, & our night, or weekend were nowhere near over.

We all headed down PCH to Salt Creek Grille where Chris & his parents hosted an amazing dinner for all of our guests, with some of the most delicious tri-tip, salmon, & ravioli I have ever had. And let me tell you the wine & Veuve Clicquot never stopped flowing.

Saturday morning everyone woke up & headed down to Temecula where we spent the day at the amazing Wilson Creek Winery. It was perfect since we had Chris’s younger siblings with us & Wilson Creek has a cute little picnic area with a playground. Everyone had sandwiches from the winery’s grille & we spent the day drinking, laughing, & soaking up the sun. After the winery everyone headed back to our apartment where Chris had already rented out our clubhouse area & we grilled, ate, & spent time mixing our families together.

The entire weekend was truly a fairytale. The only thing I could even think that would make it better is if my family & friends from Connecticut could have been there with us. But that just makes me look forward to the big day even more. I am so lucky to have such an amazing family, amazing family of soon to be in-laws, perfect friends & the man that truly makes me complete. As corny as it is, he is the ying to my yang & I am so lucky to have found him.