Think of the most thoughtful proposal...then multiply it by 10.
It was clear that Sam would do whatever it would take to make his proposal to Katie as personal and meaningful as possible. When he initially reached out, Sam was living out of state and trying to plan both his move AND his secret proposal, so he brought on some help to make sure all the details were just right.
We spent a LOT of time going back and forth trying to decide what would be the most meaningful for Katie. After going over lists of options and even calling a few businesses, Sam suggested Ephemera in Des Moines' East Village, where Katie works on weekends simply to be surrounded by beautiful stationary, whimsical products, and cool people. (Pro tip: if you're looking for gorgeous paper products for your wedding--save the dates, wedding announcements, RSVPS, programs--100000% check out Ephemera!) As one of her happy places, Sam thought it would only make sense to bring an extra piece of joy to a space she already cherishes dearly. And as we chatted and got to know each other better, I learned more about Sam's background and Katie's love of books. A selfish desire to go to one of my new favorite bookstore in town took over and I decided to toss out the option of Nos Books in the Drake Neighborhood. Sam lit up--it felt like an opportunity for him to express a piece of himself while also leaning into Katie's love of literature, a perfect way for the two of them to be combined.
Once we settled on where, we had two other big important pieces of the puzzle to solve: how we would get Katie where we needed her and how exactly Sam would pop the question. Fortunately Sam's best friend Gary had been along from the beginning--he was actually the one who found my website for Sam in the first place--and volunteered to be the perfect decoy. I won't get into details here, but let's just say Gary played his part perfectly.
In regard to the how, that came about on a little recon mission to Ephemera. I was chatting with one of the owners who was in on our rouse and she pointed out their Fortune Telling Pencil Machine. She explained that customers can put in 50 cents and get a pencil with a fortune printed on it. We locked eyes and were like, "......now THAT would be pretty cute for a proposal, wouldn't it?" It didn't take much convincing for Sam to get on board.
The day of our session, Katie let us into the store before hours so we could have the space to ourselves. We took a few photos of the two of them hanging out together in an attempt to get everyone relaxed in front of the camera--a tough task for Sam! Eventually we wandered over to the Fortune Telling Pencil Machine, where Katie got her fortune: that she would soon receive an offer she couldn't refuse. Sam pulled a ring box hidden behind display items and got down on one knee and we all squealed with excitement as Sam asked Katie to marry him. After soaking in the proposal, we headed to Nos for some additional engagement photos, all the while planning our next hangout together.
It's always so fun to help people plan the next big step in their lives. It's even more fun when you get to continue to be a part of it as their friends. I am so thrilled for Katie and Sam, but equally thrilled that they are moving to Des Moines--they are exactly the kind of people that make me proud to be part of this community. I look forward to spending more sharing the local spots we love with each other (and definitely eating pizza).
