Getting Engaged
HOW IT HAPPENED
In the summer of 2020, I won a photo session with the phenomenal photographer, Pamela Sambrano; I wanted to do a couples shoot because we had never done one before and I thought it would be fun. Peter was excited to get some photos, but he's never been interested in the planning aspect of an event, so naturally, I took over.
It was the beginning of October, and the morning of the shoot Peter decided to go to Toronto and we had to meet our photographer early that afternoon. He came back home with an hour to spare, but then decided to change his outfit last minute; I was stressing!! I just kept thinking, We're going to be so late and Why does he keep changing?! Peter's brother, Michael, saw us off to the shoot, and he could tell I was getting stressed because I was starting to get a little sassy!
We arrived at the shoot location (on time) and the weather was perfect; sunny with crispy autumn air gently grazing the gorgeously coloured trees. We started to take some photos, trying to stay focused, but couldn't help ourselves and ended up giggling the entire time.
Midway through the shoot, we made it to this beautiful spot with an arched bridge and autumn trees that lined the calm, reflective water; it was so quiet and secluded, perfect for an intimate photo shoot. Our photographer asked me to turn my back to Peter so she could take some candid movement shots. We took a couple photos, and on the last one, I could hear the shuffling of shoes behind me, and our photographer says, "Actually, lets do a different pose, Christal can you turn around?"
I turned around, Peter was on one knee holding a tiny, red, glossy box, looking at me with this great, big, nervous smile on his face.
Immediately, the clicks of the camera shutter and the sounds of people walking across the bridge disappear. Peter's looking at me, smiling from ear to ear, looking so eager to say whatever it was that he's been dying to get out.
He says my name, stutters, giggles, and asks,
"Will you marry me?"
And I'm sure you know what happened next ;)
BEHIND THE SCENES
Before Christal had won the shoot, I decided I was going to propose, despite agreeing to wait until we were more settled. I designed the ring and with the help of our housemate and Christal's dearest friend, Carol, I ordered the ring under her name to not to raise suspicion when the order arrived at home.
A couple months before the shoot, I secretly messaged our photographer, and asked if we could do a surprise proposal. I anticipated Christal would take over the planning of the shoot, so all I had to do was sit back and wait to pop the question.
I went to Toronto that morning so I could confirm with the photographer, chat with our friends about the after-proposal dinner, and to practice my marry me speech.
The reason I was changing so often when I got home was because I had to find a jacket that would hide the ring box.
Our housemates, friends, and family all knew and not once did Christal think the photo-shoot she was planning would lead to a well orchestrated surprise proposal.