Villa de Amore Engagement Stories

Kristen & Paul

2011-11-08T12:57:00.000-08:00

Paul proposed to Kristen New Years Eve 2010 on a Gondola ride in Naples, Long Beach. The same location of their very first date 4 years earlier. Afterwards they met for dinner at Smitty's Steakhouse in Pasadena with their parents and grandparents. The next day Paul surprised Kristen again by flying them out for a relaxing week's vacation in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Kristin & Dustin

2011-11-08T12:31:00.000-08:00

In the words of Kristin:

It was a Saturday morning and Dustin had told me he had to work. It turns out he took the whole weekend off and planned a trip without me even knowing! We spent the day Saturday wine tasting and relaxing. That night he had booked a hotel in Laguna Beach (where we first met). We had an amazing dinner at Salt Creek Grill and there was actually a wedding reception taking place at the restaurant while we were there.
The next day we drove to Salt Creek Beach in Laguna. This is one of our favorite beaches. We had a picnic with some wine, cheese, and crackers; very tasty. Dustin mentioned he had to use the restroom and he left for a bit.
The next time I turned around to look for him he had a puppy in his arms. I was confused, shocked, and excited all at the same time. It was just moments before he left that I was telling him how much I wished we had our own dog sitting with us.
I got up and walked towards him and I didn't even know what to think. Did he just ask someone if he could show me their puppy? Is this our puppy? Where in the world was the puppy hiding?! There were so many things running through my head that I did not even think to look at her collar.
Once he told me that she was OUR puppy I was so excited that I turned away from him and went to go sit down with her. Right before I turned away from him he was reaching in his back pocket (I didn't even notice this at the time). He follows me back to our blanket and asks me if I looked at her collar. In my head I was thinking, "no I haven't looked at her collar! I'm too busy looking at her cute face."
I finally look at her collar and the tag is in the shape of a heart and it says "Will you marry me?" Then it hits me that he has had this entire weekend planned around this proposal the whole time. I was already sitting down at this point and he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes!

Wendy & Arash

2011-11-03T14:29:00.000-07:00

Arash proposed to Wendy on the evening of August 25, 2011. Comfy on the couch at home Wendy saw a preview for the movie The Switch and got really excited because it looked like a great movie. When she found out that the movie was going to start playing right then and there she yelled, "I love it when that happens, I don't have to wait for the movie to come out in the theater, it's going to play right now!". Then it went something like this....
Arash: "I love it when you get all excited! I love you, I'm going to marry you someday" Wendy: "Oh yeah, well why don't you propose to me then if your so in love!" Arash: "you really want me to, I will. Right now! Go in the room & come out when I tell you to" So Wendy get's up, goes in the bedroom and after about 8 minutes she starts to wonder what in the world is he doing....could he be serious!?! She starts pacing back in forth with excitement thinking that he may be really getting ready to ask her. Wendy walks out into the living room & Arash is pacing back & forth with a candle lit on the table. He asks her to sit down on the couch & he gets down on one knee & tells her how much he cares for her & loves her....after a few minutes he starts to get hot & nervous & requests to go outside. Arash grabs a chair on the front patio and has her sit in it, then surrounds her with candles & tomato plants. Yes, I said tomato plants! He gets back down on one knee & continues his speech. Wendy could tell he was nervous so she suggested that they go inside to the bedroom. In the room Arash got down on his knee AGAIN & Wendy started telling Arash how much he meant to her. She told him that she didn't know if he was being serious or kidding around like they always do, but regardless, she loves him & he is her best friend. After Wendy's speech to Arash he pulled out a blue box & asked for her hand in marriage. Wendy couldn't believe it & asked, "Are you serious!? Yes!!!!"

Jenna & Ben

2011-11-03T14:27:00.000-07:00

Jen is very hard to surprise. She is very aware of people's actions and what those actions mean.
Ben had planned to propose to Jen the night that she had made dinner and was going to accompany Ben to the lake. She knew! Ben kept saying "I want to make the sunset, I'm so upset..." and so on. Jen knew because he was acting way more meticulous than usual. They left shortly due to an abundant amount of mosquitoes and people in the same area.
Jen was sad because she knew Ben was going to propose and because she knew he was upset about it.
He slept over that night. Jen knew he was going to try again that morning. He went to the car while she was still in bed, made her coffee, and it all just seemed right. He, again, didn't do it. Jen even called her mom saying "I'm really upset, I think he was going to propose last night AND this morning but he didnt."
That day, they went on a hike. No shower, no makeup, and hair was messed up. Jen wasn't in the best of moods, which made Ben really hesitant to pop the question. Jen assumed he wouldn't because of the setting. Just his luck, he'd lose it in the dirt or plants. They started talking about moving forward in their relationship. Ben starts talking about how he can't wait to buy a home and really get their lives started. Jen states, "Honestly honey, I really just want to start my life with YOU. The house and the move sound great, but it wouldn't be right without you." Ben suddenly asks "Can we stop and each lunch on this rock right here?"
She starts to pull it out and he says, "I'm glad you feel that way..." and gets on one knee. Jen's look on her face was complete shock! She had no idea! He asked, she smiled, nodded, and then as they kissed, Jen stated "I hate you!" The reason why she said that was because she knew this whole time! She knew the night before, that morning, but she genuinely had no idea when the time came.
They were engaged September 4th 2011 in the middle of the day during their hike. Brody, their 80 pound lab, was able to share this experience while on the hike!

Shelley & Aaron

2011-11-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

Aaron tried to surprise Shelley with a romantic walk on the beach to enjoy the sunset. He blew his cover when he decided to take this walk during the NBA Finals. Shelley knowing Aaron and his love for sports suddenly knew something out of the ordinary was going on. As they walked down the beach they encountered a huge canal of water that was blocking the path to Aaron's surprise. This is when he began to panic and wanted to walk across 4 feet of water in his jeans. Shelley would not let him, so they took the long way there. As they walked down the other side of the hill, Shelley was surprised with a blanket full of rose petals and candles. That is where Aaron dropped down on one knee and asked Shelley to marry him. Shelley was so excited that she wouldn't even let him finish. She just said yes of course.....and the rest is history!

Jackie & Cameron

2011-11-03T14:23:00.000-07:00

In the words of Cameron:

The Setup
I told Jackie we were going to a baseball game at Petco park. It was the Padres vs Colorado Rockies. But first we needed to stop at my bosses house to get the free Petco parking pass. When we arrived at my so called bosses house, I told her he was running behind so we should just kill sometime walking across the street at Sunset cliffs. As we were cruising along we stumbled upon a sketch artist who was sketching the cliffs and current sunset. Jackie and I started a casual conversation with him about his work. I could tell Jackie was nervous because she didn't want him to sale her anything. Next the artist mentioned he had a portfolio for her to look through. He also commented that his favorite sketch was on page number five. As she flipped through the portfolio nervously, I stepped back got down on one knee and once she got to page 5, there was a sketch of the exact seen that was about to take place. I proposed.
Back Story:
I had hired Court Jones a professional sketch artist to be an actor, artist and photographer all at the same time. He was brilliant. I sent him a photo of Jackie and I and described how I wanted to get engaged.
Reaction:
Jackie was stunned in fact she was shaking and didn't quite understand what was happening at first.

Bonnie & Frank

2011-11-03T14:20:00.000-07:00

In the words of Bonnie:
Where do we begin with the proposal? It's quite a long story, but a wonderful one and so romantic.
During Summer 2010, Frank said it was time to begin looking at wedding rings. We both knew we were ready, but he wanted me to find the ring of my dreams. So the search began and I finally decided on a vintage Asscher cut diamond. I found a wonderful jeweler in Beverly Hills who focuses on estate and vintage items. Frank worked with him for six months and found the perfect ring, which came from the east coast. How fitting!
He kept this all a secret from me and kept throwing me off regarding the proposal date. I kept thinking he was planning the proposal for February 2011, which would be our four year anniversary! However, he ended up planning a spectacular engagement on December 28, 2010 in New York during the holidays. He loved Mohonk Mountainhouse in New Paltz, NY as a child and decided the proposal would happen there.
The day he drove me to the resort, we went on a long walk around the mountain and he attempted to propose at the lookout tower at the top. However, the trails were all blocked due to the snow, so that plan failed. Instead, as we came down the mountain together, he took me into one of the wooden gazebos overlooking the lake and had me turn around to admire the view. When I turned around, he was already on his knee with the ring in his hand asking me to marry him! I was so caught off guard and immediately began to cry and said "Yes!". I wanted it to happen there in that moment so much and it came true.
He then proceeded to tell me that he'd reserved one night in the resort, along with a dinner in their formal dining room and a Swedish Massage for me in their world renowned spa! He really couldn't have done it any better. We will always cherish that weekend together forever and we hope to return there soon.

Melissa & Benedict

2011-11-03T14:17:00.000-07:00

In the words of Melissa:
We were on a cruise to Alaska, sailing aboard the Zaandam and had just left the port of Ketchikan cruising through the inside passage towards Juneau. We went to the "Crow's Nest" for cocktails with the captain and beautiful views of the sea and Alaskan coastline, followed by a lovely Italian dinner. We headed back to our room with a private veranda deck to view the sunset and take some photos. Ben set the camera up on a table and putting the camera on a self-timer and snapped some photos of us. Then he wanted just one more... and after he set up the camera, Ben jumped to one knee with a huge smile on his face and said "Will you marry me?"... I said "Yes!!!!" as he jumped up and gave me a hug he asked "You said 'Yes' right?" haha! And I responded, "Yes, of course!!!"!

Brandi & Corey

2011-11-03T14:13:00.000-07:00

These two are truly amazing people with hearts full of love and were wed on 10/2/2011

In the words of Brandi:
It was our 5 year anniversary that Corey decided it was time. We planned on spending the day in Malibu since neither one of us had ever been. Brandi was constantly questioning Corey on what we were going to do and see all day. No itinerary was made, which Brandi didn't like. But Corey knew what he was doing all along.
The night before heading to Malibu we went out to Sushi (One of our favs), but Corey had been acting different, distant and full of anxiety!! He was feeling so much stress he wouldn't even look at Brandi or talk to her throughout dinner!! The night went on and we parted ways until the next morning.
As Brandi got ready Julie (her mom), kept checking on her to see when she was leaving and if she was ready about every 5 minutes. Prior to proposing Corey had talked to Julie about asking Brandi to marry him so she knew what was about to happen. As Brandi walked out of the house Julie wished her a good day and had a smile from ear to ear.
The drive to Malibu was full of laughs, singing, and beautiful scenery up the coast. We drove and drove and drove to the directions Corey had handed Brandi to guide him to their destination. Brandi kept questioning and wondering why in the world we were driving past the ocean and all of the stops along the way. Finally, we drove up to a natural preserve tucked away in a residential area that had beautiful cliffs and views of the wide open ocean. We walked down to the edge of one of the cliffs and started taking pictures. Little did Brandi know what was going on behind her. Corey called her by her name and when she turned around he was down on one knee. He kept trying to talk and ask for her hand in marriage, but she was too excited. She couldn't stop crying and trying to hug and kiss him.
The day was beautiful, the weather was perfect and God has now given us this chance to spend the rest of our lives together!

Melissa & Colin

2011-11-03T14:11:00.000-07:00

Melissa and Colin were engaged on May 14th, 2011 on the Big Island of Hawaii. Long story short, Colin proposed right before he and Melissa were about to have their first Ziplining experience. Melissa was completely shocked as Colin got down on one knee, pulled out a box with the ring and asked her to marry him. She was so surprised that she almost forgot to say yes! And just as she said yes, it was her turn to get on the Zipline and go! What an adrenaline rush! And one of the most happiest days of their life!

Christine & Curtis

2011-11-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

Christine and Curtis tied the knot on 10/1/2011!

In the words of Christine:
After almost 4 years together flew by, it was time to get engaged. Curt held on to the ring for months hoping I'd forget about it, but we all know that's impossible! He planned a trip to Vegas and spent so much time making sure everything was perfect so I was sure the proposal was coming! He made reservations at a beautiful restaurant, the food was amazing but he barely ate. After about an hour of sitting in the restaurant I thought it would happen but it didn't. I could tell he was disappointed and his plan was falling apart so I tried to keep him laughing as we wandered around the strip. He decided to take me on a gondola ride and I thought, okay now he'll propose, but still no luck. At this point I was starting to think he would never propose! Finally, we were able to make the last trip of the night up to the top of the Eiffel Tower. We walked around in circles trying to escape the crowds but didn't have much luck. Curt just stopped walking and got down on one knee then said, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, will you marry me?" Obviously I said yes! Everyone standing around started to applaud and congratulate us. The rest is history!

Ericka and David

2011-11-03T14:08:00.000-07:00

David and Erika got engaged on February 14, 2011! Although the proposal was on Valentine’s Day, it had been 11 days in the making. Starting on February 3rd, David gave Erika one long-stemmed red rose and a note every day until the 14th. Each day he surprised her with a flower at different times (at lunch, before her soccer games, or on her windshield at work) and each note described one thing he loved about her. On Valentine’s Day, he picked Erika up at her home in a stretch limousine with a teddy bear and a card waiting inside. They made a toast with some champagne, listened to a special CD of love songs David made, and drove down to the Sky Room restaurant in Long Beach. That evening a special Valentine’s Day dinner was prepared: a 5-course meal accompanied by roses, boxes of chocolate and more champagne! After a delicious sunset dinner, they got back into the limo and headed down PCH to Laguna Beach, arriving at the Surf and Sand Resort! David asked Erika to take a walk with him, so she put on some comfy boots he brought with him to keep her feet warm, and headed down to the sand… After a few minutes of walking on the shore, they turned a corner and Erika saw a blanket on the sand with lit candles and a single red rose in a vase. This was it! The 12th rose! David took the rose, told Erika how much he loved her, and got down on his knee. At this point Erika began to cry and David got emotional as he asked her to marry him… Through tears Erika said yes, fell into David’s arms, and they cried as their emotion took over. It was the best Valentine’s Day of all time!

Tyler & Courtney

2011-11-03T14:06:00.000-07:00

In the words of Courtney :
This past summer, we spent 7 weeks backpacking through Europe in hostels, enduring countless train rides, unpredictable weather, and several language barriers. But we also gained the experience of a lifetime together that we wouldn't trade for all the money in the world. After staying a night in a dirty hostel in Paris, Tyler surprised me with a night in a Parisian hotel. At sunset, he took me to the Louvre and proposed on one knee. This made the rest of the trip that much more special.

Jerry & Flora

2011-11-03T14:04:00.000-07:00

Jerry and Flora had their beautiful ceremony on 10/23/11. The day was absolutely perfect!

Written by Jerry: Around the time of my birthday (April 20) in 2010 I came to the conclusion that life without Flora would be empty. I knew i wanted to propose but didn't see the room for it since we were looking to move out of our apartment to a house. I wanted to give her something she has deserved for a long time. Having to renew our lease, and not getting into a house at the time, seemed saddening. Soon after that i realized it was in Gods plan to not have us focus on that, but focus on the process we're in now. After planning our vacation for the beginning of October 2010 I went down, without any guidance from Flora, and "winged" the whole engagement ring process. I purchased the ring a couple weeks prior to the vacation and kept it at my parents house. Our vacation was a week trip to Vegas with a day trip to the Grand Canyon in the middle. The thought of a Grand Canyon proposal seemed to be the perfect idea but as it got closer, I started picturing all the people there and the attention it would bring. Then the thought of a box stuffed into my sock for 5 hours made me even more nervous so I felt the way I wanted to do it was just me and her by the window over looking Vegas. Come the night before the Grand Canyon, I told her I bought her something "earlier that day" and wanted to give it to her. In our pajamas and all, I dragged her to the window and got down on one knee. She burst into tears not expecting it. Me myself, I only felt the weight off my shoulders, because emotionally I've been looking at my wife for the previous 6 months. After that I texted my brother that i ended up doing it, and within minutes he was in our room snapping pictures and that is where the picture above comes from. With us bed ready and not picture ready, and eyes all glossy from crying, it is easily my favorite picture of us. Its the beginning of the rest of our lives together.