Willie and I started writing our love story 9 years ago.  We were young, a little bit wild, and we were crazy about each other. Some could say that we were the definition of a summer romance.  Being that we were both young and Willie was leaving for the Navy in a few short months nothing became of our romance; except for one amazing friendship.

We always kept in touch even while he was overseas and made a habit of getting together each time he was home on leave.  Once we were finally in a position to start dating, everything just clicked.  From there we picked up where we left off and continued to write our love story.  It was that easy.   We are two best friends that fell in love.

Earlier this January Willie and I went on a vacation to Mexico.  Neither of us had been before so we were very excited.  Little did I know this was going to be a trip that I would never forget.  We arrived at our resort and it was beautiful.  Like most people coming from cold weather we headed straight to the beach.  I love the ocean and everything about it so that is exactly where I headed.  After finding lounge chairs closer to the water I decided I wanted to move our things there.  My sister-in-law suggested I go help Willie move everything, which I found odd because all we needed to move was my purse and flip flops, but I went anyway.

When I reached the spot where Willie was waiting for me the scenery was flawless.  The bright blue ocean was at his back, the white sand at his feet, and the beautiful blue sky didn’t have a cloud in sight.  Standing in front of me  was my handsome fiancé trying to hold back his smiles.  As I looked down I saw the sand beneath my feet had a message that read “Lakin Will You Marry Me?”

At first I didn’t believe him.  I just kept laughing and saying “Are you serious?!”  This time it was the real deal.  My prince charming was down on one knee handing me the most beautiful engagement ring I had ever seen.

All engagement rings are very special, but mine is more than that.   My ring is made up of several diamonds that are from Willie’s late grandmother’s wedding ring.  The famous designer Peter Storm created this ring himself after speaking directly with Willie at a Design Show at Denney Jewelers in September.  All these things together make my ring all the more special.  Willie and I are very excited about our engagement and we are very thankful to Denney Jewelers for helping us to write this VERY special chapter in our love story.

Our romantic story is of our engagement; it happened this past July 3rd 2011. Jeremy my fiancé, got a few of our friends and our immediate family together for what I thought would be a big group date at the Muni Opera, out by the lake for the show Guys and Dolls.

I knew going into the show that Jeremy was going on stage with his friend Jared to wish their mutual friend Nikki, a happy birthday (she volunteers with the Muni), so I didn’t think anything of it. Well about 5 minutes before the show was to start, Jeremy comes running from the back grabs my hand and tells me: “Jared backed out on me and I can’t go up there alone I’m too nervous.” (Everyone around me knows what is going on) my response to him “Um no.. I’m not going up there.  That is Jared and your thing, I’m not doing it.”

By that time he had already had me on my feet dragging me behind him. As we were standing back stage  all I could do was tell him “I’m going to kill Jared the next time I see him.” (I have horrible stage fright) So then they started the announcement for the show and said “Before we start off the night we have a couple here to wish one of the cast members a happy birthday.” So we go out on stage and Jeremy takes the microphone from the announcer. He starts his speech about how he wasn’t going to let me get off scott-free without coming up there with him.

He starts saying, “So this is the part where I come up here and tell everybody that I’m here to wish a cast member a happy birthday; except that is a total lie. So this is where Casey finds out the truth. On the count of three I want everyone on this side (points to the left side of the audience) to say Casey Backstein marry this man!”

(I was in total shock when he said this)

“Okay 1,2,3..” He holds his arms up to the crowd and they said it- and he says “That is not good enough, how about everyone on this side?” (points to the right side of the audience) on the count of three 1,2,!

After they said it, he continued, “You guys don’t really mean it? Alright how about everybody together… On the count of three, give it all you got; let’s make this the best night of her life, because she has been here, she’s been by my side thick and thin. So on the count of three 1,2,3…”  All 200+ people in the audience shouted ” Casey Backstein marry this man!”

Then he said, “Well they are all for it!” and and he asked the crowed, “So is this the part where I get down on one knee? Is this it?”

They all yelled “YES!!” So he gets down on one knee and my hands cover my mouth and I begin to cry and he says to me, “Baby you have been here for me for everything, you are the best person in my life, will you be Mrs. Hughes?”

Bawling and shaking my head up and down I said yes, and he hugged me, and everyone was clapping and yelling; and he says into the microphone, “Kiss me they’re waiting.”

After more laughter, he told he crowd thank you very much and he really appreciated it, and we walked off stage. Backstage everyone knew what was going on before hand they were waiting to take pictures and tell us congratulations. We went back to our family and friends and everyone was hugging and crying. It really was the most romantic night of my life, and because of one of my good friends it was all caught on video.

Ever since meeting and sharing our first kiss on New Year’s Eve under a Blue Moon, Scott has constantly taken my breath away.  He started “building” my engagement ring on my 30th birthday, without my knowledge.  He told me he wanted to get me a promise ring, so we went shopping and I picked out a ring a month before my birthday.

My birthday party was planned at a Wrigleyville rooftop in Chicago…I’m a lifelong Cubs fan and have always wanted to experience the rooftops!  Shortly before our trip to Chicago, he was trying to let me down easy and told me he wasn’t going to get me the ring right now.  While roasting in the hot August sun and trying to enjoy the game, we finally got a moment to sit down together.  He had just opened a bag of Cracker Jacks and asked if I wanted some.  I quickly responded, “I want to find the prize!!”  Just inside the package I discovered a little bag and pulled it out to find my ring!!!!!  I was shocked to say the least.

Four months later, just before Christmas and our first anniversary, he told me that the jeweler had called and wanted to check out my ring because some other customers had been having problems with the prongs.  I reluctantly let my ring go back to the shop.  On New Year’s Eve night he had gone to pick up my ring for me.  When he came home I was anxious to have it back, so he went and got it from the car.  He explained that they had to do some work to it, but it should be good to go now.  I opened the box to find an eternity band had been added to the ring!!!

Scott’s final move in creating the beginning of our lives came at our St. Patrick’s Day party.  Scott had started a new business, a hotdog cart of all things, so we invited family and friends to come over and celebrate the cart being ready to go.  While Scott was “manning the cart”, I was visiting with friends when he tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I wanted a hotdog.  Just as I was about to say “No thank you,” I turned around to see another eternity band sitting on the end of the hotdog!!!  He asked me if I would marry him, and of course I said YES!!!  Now every time I look at my ring I remember those three special occasions and look forward to our future together.

We had planned to get away for a weekend for months.  It’s so hard to find time, but we were determined to make it happen.

We stumbled upon a beautiful bed and breakfast down by Alton.  It was amazing!  We were greeted with champagne and unrivaled kindness.  The antique furniture and atmosphere was so romantic.  We checked in and took a scenic drive by the river down to Grafton.  Then we found a quiet table at a local winery.  It was nice to soak up some sun and just enjoy the beautiful day.

Next , we walked up the trail to McAdams Peak by Pere Marquette.  We reached the peak and got lost in the gorgeous horizon overlooking the fall landscape.  It was so peaceful and we couldn’t have asked for a more picturesque day.  The peak has wood pillars which many have used over the years to carve their initials as a declaration of love.  He began carving his initials and then stopped after only marking my first initial.  I, of course, asked him why he left off my last initial.

He then got down on one knee and asked “Rachael, will you let me spend the rest of my life making you happy?”   I was completely shocked and overwhelmed with joy!  I didn’t take him seriously until I saw the ring!  It was the most stunning I’ve ever seen!  We held each other tight for a while, not wanting to move past the moment.  Neither of us could stop smiling as we walked hand-in-hand down the trail.  We made our way back to Alton for a fancy dinner at Gentelin’s and a romantic evening at the bed and breakfast.

We are so very happy and I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend!  It was truly a dream come true!

It all started 4 years ago when I started my new job and met my fiancé, Josh. I can still remember the first time I was given the chance to wait on him at the counter and after he left I looked at my supervisor and said, “I am going to marry that man”. Little did I know it would really happen!!

Being with Josh is amazing. He is the most wonderful person you could ever meet and is so giving and caring. As I like to say he is a devoted “life-saver” as a Paramedic, Volunteer Fire Fighter and a Main Diver for the Search and Rescue Team in our area. He is constantly giving to everyone in our community and that is what made me fall head-over-heels for him.

July 9, 2011 was the day my life would change forever…

I was working at the bank till noon and then volunteering that evening at our local fair, as I do every year. Josh had asked me to come directly home after work because he had plans for us and promised to have me back in time to work at the fair. So I went home, changed and headed out the door with him. I had no idea where we were going but I did notice a small cooler in the back seat so I just assumed we were going for a nice picnic in the park in Springfield.

We puledl into the Springfield Marina where Josh proceeded to park and said he was going to go ask for directions to the park. Ha, I guessed it, a picnic in the park! Josh went inside the Marina office and was in there for a good amount of time so needless to say the wheels start turning in my mind and I no longer feel a picnic coming on.  He comes back to the Jeep and says, “Okay, let’s get changed” and I said, “YOU RENTED JET SKIS!!!!!”

Now let me back track a little here, our first date was supposed to be renting Jet Skis but the weather was not permitting that weekend we were free and we never got the chance to reschedule.  In a sense, were having what was meant to be our first date on this day and I was so excited! So now that I know what his surprise is he handed me a bathing suit he had purchased for today, a beach towel, a pair of sandals, sunglasses and even a hair tie for me. Now, do you understand what I mean when I say “he’s amazing?” We proceed to get our lesson on driving the Jet Ski and we were off buzzing around the lake for about 30 minutes before he found this very quiet, very secluded cove and shuts off the Jet Ski. As he turned around to face me he started to tell me how much he loves me and how happy he is with what we have together and how well we work as one. At this point I still had no idea what he was about to say because what we were saying to each other was nothing more than what we have discussed before and I felt as we were just having another amazing day together and sharing a moment.

As he turned back around and stated fishing around in the compartment for something that’s when I thought to myself  “No way, No way he is getting out a ring!” and  so he turned back around with the box in hand, opened it up and said, “Lacey Ann Boensel, Will You Marry Me?” Of course I said yes after I collected myself and hugged him and kissed him and I could not stop bouncing up and down and giggling and smiling!!!

In fact I’m still smiling…

And that was the best day of my life with the best man I could have ever dreamed of!

On August 13, 2011 on the brightest moon of the year with the help of my girlfriend’s favorite actor, Bruce Campbell,  I proposed in front of a sold out crowd during a question and answer session at the Donald E Stephens Area in Rosemont Illinois.

AJ  had requested a moon stone for her engagement ring.  I chose a day when all the stars aligned to ask my best friend AJ to be my wife.

You can view the actual proposal by following the link.  The proposal starts about 6 minutes into the clip.

Nick asked me earlier in the week if we had anything planned for Sunday.  When I told him no, he suggested we have a picnic.  He would not tell me where or what time this picnic would take place.  He just kept saying, “you’ll see.”

Sunday morning he dropped me off after church and said he would see me later.  I stood in the drive watching him drive away and wondered, “what time is later?”

My daughter walked out of the house carrying a card and a rose.  The card said, “Picnic Time, I am a rose being given to you as a token of love.  Other roses are awaiting you.  Proceed to Route 29 Fitness at 12:00″.  When I got to Route 29 Fitness the owners Joe and Anna were standing by the door holding a card and a rose.  The card said, “This is the very spot where I asked you out and you said yes!”   Then the card said to proceed to our pew at Cantrall Church.  There were 2 roses, a card, and an open Bible.  The Bible was open to Genesis and told how God decided it was not good for man to be alone. The card said, “I truly believe with my soul that when I got on my knees and prayed for God to let me have true love and romance that our paths were set by God to intersect.”  I was then instructed to proceed to our football seats.

There were 2 roses and a card sitting in our usual seats at the school football field.  The card said, “Community life was a big thing missing in my life and being with you has brought it all back.”   I was then to proceed to the fire pit at Nick’s hunting property.

At the fire pit I was met by Nick’s friend Vince who was standing holding a card and a rose.  Nick and I had a very romantic night early in our courtship of dancing on a gorgeous fall evening next to a fire under a full moon.  The card said, “I always think of our night when I see a full moon.  I want to do that again and again and again.” Then I was instructed to proceed to our little one room school house.  He even provided directions!

When I got there, he was standing next to a picnic blanket.  There were roses, champagne, and food.  After I hugged him, he got down on one knee and proposed.  He promised to love and cherish me for the rest of our lives. I burst into tears and said “Yes!”

He then placed the most perfect diamond engagement ring on my finger! The one room school house is significant because I am a school teacher and this school house was purchased by an elderly gentleman in memory of his wife.  She had started her teaching career there.  He had gone daily and placed flowers on her desk until he died.

Nick had asked all of our children’s permission before he set his plan into motion. I know in my heart that our romance has only just begun!