Phillip and I were both living in Celebration, Florida, about 2 minutes down the road from each other. We frequented the same bars, restaurants, and theme parks, but our paths never crossed. In 2018 fairytale fashion, we finally met on a dating app, and sparks immediately flew.
We soon scheduled our first date, and went to EPCOT in Walt Disney World. We traveled through the "countries", eventually stopping in Mexico for some tequila shots, which has now become a tradition! We made our way to Italy, where we sat on a bench and watched the fireworks over the water, and shared our first kiss. By the end of the night, I think we both knew this was something special.
We were heading to my home of New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras with my family. As we were checking in to the hotel, Phillip told me he was running down the street to buy a bottle of water. I was busy checking in, so did not think much of it, but it turns out he was picking up my engagement ring on Royal St. about a block away! This was the same antique store we walked through about a year prior, and he remembered how mesmerized I was, so for months he had been going back and forth over the phone and over email to find the perfect ring from there.
The next day was "Locals Friday" in the French Quarter, so we dressed nice and decided to take pictures with my parents and godparents in front of St. Louis Cathedral (where I was baptized) before all heading to our separate brunches. As we were posing for our picture, he turned to me and said "I need you to really listen right now...". (I have a tendency zone out, so this goes to show how much he knows me!) Then, he got down on one knee, told me he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, and asked me to marry him. I, of course, said yes! It was absolutely perfect, and it meant so much to have my parents and godparents there to share that special moment with us.
Since St. Louis Cathedral is where I was baptized, and where Phillip proposed, it holds a special place in our hearts. It was a no-brainer that we chose this beautiful, historic Cathedral for our ceremony!