My fairy tale Engagement….(From Jenna)
So one day last week my supervisor comes to me and tells me that she has an appointment next Friday and that I could leave early at 11:30 instead of 2:30. I was super excited because this meant that I could get home to Charlotte earlier to have dinner with Justin for our 2 year anniversary! Friday comes around and I jet home after a quick day at Bethel School. I’m super pumped and really excited about visiting NoDa (Justin’s future neighborhood) and dinner at P.F.Changs.
One of my oldest and best friends Bracken happened to text me on my way home asking if we could hang out on Saturday. I texted her back and told her that Justin and I had plans for our 2 year, but that we would work something out another time. I got to thinking and texted Bracken back telling her we would be in NoDa around 5:00 and asking her if she was working (she works at Center of the Earth art gallery in NoDa). She said yes she was working and to stop by and see her while we were there (this is where I was thrown off, because I thought it was my doing that we ended up going to the gallery, when really Justin had planned on going there the whole time!).
Around 5:30 Justin and I stroll into the gallery and Bracken greets us at the door- it was locked because they didn’t open until 6, so we had the place to ourselves! She gives us a tour of all the amazing art and leaves us to go “check her e-mail.” We wander into a back room that had awesome 20 ft. ceilings with a steel spiral staircase in the corner. It’s lined with artwork and I was so overwhelmed by how cool the room was that I didn’t even notice the single chair in the middle of the room facing a painting turned around against the wall. Justin calmly says, “why don’t you have a seat” and I start to get a little suspicious. Me, being clueless, just thought, “aw how sweet, he’s got something planned for our 2 year anniversary!” I sit down and he starts to read to me a letter that he had written to me when he first told me that he loved me. I immediately start being girly and start to tear up. I sensed it was more than just a 2 year surprise after he read the letter and started saying all the things you would expect when proposing.
He then walked over to the painting that was against the wall and turned it around. I about fell out of my chair crying when I saw the ring hanging from this beautiful painting that Bracken had painted for me, inspired by a previous piece she had painted. After Justin finally got me to stop freaking out and crying I managed to get a “yes” through the tears of joy and told him that I would continue in our journey together as his wife.
We attempted to eat dinner at P.F. Changs, but we were too excited so we took most of our food home. It doesn’t stop here though; we drive back to my parent’s house to discover a surprise engagement party with my family, his family and some of our closest friends there to congratulate us! Literally, everyone and their mom knew about his engagement plotting except me! I later found out all the planning, secrecy and threats of death if anyone should slip up and tell me! Turns out, Justin called my supervisor and begged her to let me go early that day so that I could make it to the art gallery before it opened to the public. I am so grateful for the amazing pictures that Bracken took at the gallery as well as painting.
September 7, 2007 was a huge turning point in both of our lives and I look forward so sharing the rest of my life with the man of my dreams!!!!!
NOTE From Justin:
I would just like to say thanks to everyone who played a part in one of the most sweetest, awesomest, most beautiful days of my life. A special thanks to Bracken, Ruth at Center of the Earth for letting some random dude use her gallery, Angie for letting Jenna off, and most of all to our friends and family who have loved and supported us.
Below are the AMAZING pictures Bracken took. She captured the moment beautifully.
PS: …I am getting married to the most beautiful girl in the world…
