Proposal story of Danelle and Christina
How we met
Danelle: Christina and I met 10 years ago playing rugby in college together. College was the time in my life I figured out my sexuality as most teenagers. Christina was there when I decided to tell my friends and let me know it was okay and to not be embarrassed. Her being there through that rough time meant the world to me and I will never forget it.
We bonded over coffee, Harry Potter, all sports, and the same music interests. We did not start dating until after we graduated college, but the start of a forever had started to blossom in the college days. Then when we dated we binged Doctor Who when it was still on Netflix. Went to football, hockey and softball games.
The bond we had now formed from being in a relationship was so strong. We fell in love. We dated in distance for many of the years together. It was so hard, but we made it work. Since college we had not lived in the same city. Then things got really hard and we got drawn apart due to Christina not being out to her parents. That pulled her away from a full commitment.
Christina soon realized the mistake she had made and knew she did love me and wanted a life together. She told her parents and they couldn’t have been happier. Even her mom knew that she was happiest when we were together. It took me a while to regain my trust again. She waited patiently. Then 2 years ago she moved from KY to Nashville with me. We have never been stronger and are so ready to continue our lives together.
How they asked
Danelle: The Proposal. About 2 months before the proposal happened, Christina asked if we could go to get parents’ house for a weekend in October. I am a pediatric nurse and we schedule our shifts months in advance. So she knew to make sure I had time off work. So I said sure no problem I can submit to be off that weekend to go see your parents in KY.
Fast forward to 2 weeks before the “trip” to her parents, Christina mentions that she just wants to stay home and no longer go to her parents. Which was a strange request because Christina’s mom LOVES when we visit. About a week later Christina mentions to me that our friends Kalleigh and Laura wanna go to dinner at BBQ place in downtown Nashville, again to me this was a strange request.
SO being the mediling person I am, I started to just gather some information from my friends and see what they are up to that weekend. To no prevail everyone was BUSY. It comes to the October 24th the Saturday we are going to dinner with our friends. That day Christina and I chilled at home, watched some football, carved pumpkins, and made a cookie haunted house. That afternoon Christina was like “Hey, would you wanna go for a walk on the Pedestrian Bridge before dinner, I have never been and I really want a picture of the view?”. This statement sent me SO many red flags, 1. Christina to suggest a walk is just insane, that girl LOVES to just sit around. 2. I was already skeptical of anything that came my way. So now there are a million thoughts running through my head, I am like what am I suppose to wear???? Is this really just dinner or is it really happening, like there is no way this is happening tonight.
Then we start getting ready for dinner. I am ALWAYS late, and now that I was questioning everything it made it all the worst. I started stalling and being devious. I hid Christina’s cell phone from her and locked myself in my bedroom. I had so many emotions and I didn’t want Christina to see me freaking out. We started yelling at each other through the bedroom door. Honestly looking back this whole sequence was just HILARIOUS. It was the most “Danelle” things I could have every done. I am so stubborn and I always need to know what is happening. There was only so much I could control. WE finally leave the house.
We were suppose to be at dinner at 6. We left our house at 6:10. So at this point I am like we need to head straight to dinner we are already late, but Christina insisted we still had time for this DANG walk she was talking about earlier in the day. (The pedestrian bridge over looks downtown Nashville, most people use it to walk from the Titans Stadium to broadway or visa versa, AKA a gorgeous view of the city) So we get to the bridge, I had finally collected myself after the getting ready break down I had. We are walking and I was like okay here is a great spot for your photo, then Christina goes “Oh yeah that is right” Pulls her phone out to snap a picture. Then she doesn’t say anything and keeps walking.
In my mind I am like I guess I am following her. So she is a few steps ahead and honestly the view on the bridge is gorgeous. I take my time walking and then we come upon a couple benches on the bridge and Christina goes “Oh, look a TARDIS.”. The TARDIS is a Doctor Who icon and it was in the form of a tiny ring box. That is the moment I lost it and started bawling. How did that get there I asked myself, and there was also a book under the ring box. A cartoon book of Christina and I and our life together over the past 10 years. She hands me the book, I read it through all my tears. She even included the part of our breakup in there and I just cried harder. Reading this book gave me flashes of each of these memories. I was filled with so much love and joy remembering all these moments. At the end of the book she asked me to marry her. I of course said yes!
Christina staged this perfectly, there was even a photographer on the bridge there to take photos of the whole thing! That is how the ring and book got there! After I said yes the sweet photographer took some photos of us. Then she was like okay I will let you guys get to dinner with your friends! I was like OH CRAP thats right I guess we still have dinner to attend. I am on such an emotional high I couldn’t even think straight on our drive to dinner.
We get to the BBQ place and walk in to find our friends who were already there, but I didn’t see them at a table then we are walking to the back where they have private event rooms. In my head I was like WAIT, there is NO way this is a small dinner./ We come upon the room and I tell Christina ” There better not be a million people in here!” , ” There is not a million people in there.” she says back. Then we walk into a small room full of ALL our people. I turn around from pure shock and walk out for a second, then walk back in. There is my mom and dad, Christina’s mom and dad, our close college friends, and my high school best friend. It was all decorated to celebrate our engagement.
I go over to hug Christina’s mom and after the hug she said “Are you ready?”, “Ready for WHAT?” I asked, because at this point what more could I be ready for. Then from behind the door behind Christina’s mom was my 2 best friends Lauren and Natalie who both had moved back to their home states in the past 2 years. All 3 of us worked together on the same unit at Vanderbilt Childrens. They had become my people after college. They are my girls and are always there for me. I was utterly taken away that they are also there for the biggest moment in my life. I cried AGAIN! Also, the photographer was there at dinner too, she beat us there! Honestly, I have the best fiancé, family and friends.
That weekend was the most special and ended up being a HUGE surprise. Regardless of my attempts to sabotage it. Christina thought of everything, professional photos, making sure all of our people were there, even the out of state ones AND food. It meant the world to me and I will never forget it. My friend Natalie then also planned a surprise engagement brunch on Sunday with all of our Vanderbilt Children’s friends. Pediatric nurses form special bonds and we have a tight group of us.
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