Celebrate With Us 7.20.2024

Pools, Schools, and Jewels

We met working part time at Queen Anne Pool in Seattle, Washington. Lizzie was going to school nearby the pool (like, very nearby!) at Seattle Pacific University and I was trying to finish my undergrad at the University of Washington. We were both working part-time as lifeguards and swim instructors for some side money. I initially only worked very early in the mornings and Lizzie worked in the afternoons when she was done with school, so we didn't see much of each other. I do remember the times where we did work together though because Lizzie and I would both arrive at work early and she would sit quietly in the office and not say much.

I remember one time I was on a lunch break and I went around asking if anyone wanted to go to Le Rêve Bakery - now called Moonrise Bakery - with me real quick. The only person who wanted to go was Lizzie. So we went and I ordered some coffee and a pastry I guess. Lizzie, on the other hand, didn't order anything. Like nothing. No coffee, no food, not even a glass of water! You know that emoji with the teeth spread out into the awkward straight smile? I think that was me for the 20ish minutes that Lizzie watched me eat my food...

Fast forward a year or two and Lizzie and I had gotten to know each other better hanging out amongst friends. I decided to see if she wanted to spend more time together so I asked her to go on a date with me. It took me I think 2 or 3 times asking, but she finally said yes!

Fast forward again through 6 months of dating in Seattle, 2 years of being long-distance with Lizzie living in Oklahoma and working for Teach for America, 1.5years of COVID back in Seattle, and eventually you arrive here! Rounding out 5 years of dating, we finally got engaged. We're happy to have you be a part of our marriage celebration as Lizzie and I start a long journey together. We also hope you get to enjoy Seattle and maybe find that it captures your wonder - as it continually has for us.

-Dan

The Proposal

Some serious sneakiness went into the planning of this “event”. Starting in January, Dan and I decided we should go out and about and do things more. So, we made a weekly plan of activities and on Thursdays we were going to go to different parks to watch the sunset. We came up to the first week of our planned activities - it’s a Wednesday and Dan asked if I’m still good to go to the park the next day. Welllll, I had forgotten that I had my monthly book club on that day so I told Dan, last minute, that I couldn’t go to the park. Dan asked if I could just skip and I said no since this only happens once a month and we could just go the park tomorrow or next week. Little did I know I was ruining his proposal plan that he had been working on for months!! He played it cool and when I went to work the next day, I got an email saying that book club was going to be rescheduled. Dan, being sneaky, texted one of my coworkers and got them to pretend that book club was canceled so I would be able to go to the park! We ended up going to Golden Gardens, way on the very far side of the park, right as the sun was going down. We were walking towards the water when Dan had something to say. “Soo you know how book club was canceled today? ...” and that’s when I knew. We went out towards the water, he got down on one knee, and he proposed. 

-Lizzie

Thanks to the incredible Kyra Bruce for the engagement photos!