It was 2008, and I (Brian) had been with Alicia for three years. I'd been telling her I loved her for awhile and we'd lived both together and apart. We didn't ever fight (still don't!) and we never seemed to grow tired of each other's company. I knew she was the girl for me.
But what was weighing on my mind the most were the numbers. I've always sensed a social stigma towards couples that marry too fast or too young. I didn't want to look back at ourselves and regret that we jumped too fast into marriage. At the time, I was 23 and we'd been dating for over 3 years. Those numbers felt right.
I broke the news to my parents over Easter weekend and they stealthily helped me shop for the ring. During my spring break trip home, I selected the diamond and setting. The ring was created specifically for Alicia, then shipped to me in New York.
As you might guess, the ring was burning a hole in my pocket. As the weekend approached, I realized that April 25, 2008 would mark three years, two months and 10 days from our first date on February 14/15, 2006 (Alicia was a night hawk... the date started at 11pm.). This would be 3-2-1-0, a countdown to the big question.
To set the scene for the proposal, I suggested we try to knock off two items from our New York City to do list. David Copperfield's is a bar serving good food, and Glaser's Bakery is an extremely old bakery bearing Alicia's surname. We treked up to the upper east side and started a great Saturday. We had bleu cheese burgers and then black and white cookies. I smoothly (probably not!) suggested we walk to the park overlooking the east river.
As we entered the park, my heart rate skyrocketed. Alicia thought I was acting weird but didn't know why. We found a bench to ourselves and split a cookie. Once it was finished, I got down on one knee and proposed.
Alicia starting the cookie
SHE SAID YES!
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