Our Engagement Story

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!

When we met...

Alicia and I (Brian) met over a year before we began dating.

I had just started my first year at the University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD) and Alicia was pounding out her last. We technically met at a Mock Trial informational meeting. Alicia was interested in pursuing a legal career, so she attended. I'd been watching a ton of Law & Order and I really enjoyed Mock Trial in high school, so I tried to make it. But alas, I was new at UMD and couldn't find the room. I made it, but was so late that there was standing room only. My face was just one in a sea of students. We didn't talk, so technically we weren't introduced, but we were certainly at that meeting. Since I'm writing this, I'm going to claim that I fell in love with Alicia right then and there, and that she thought I smelled funny.

The first time we actually acknowledged each other's existence was in Cina 102, the room Mock Trial meetings occurred. Every Monday and Thursday, the team would meet to work on that year's case. Unfortunately, I was on the Prosecution side, Alicia on the Defense, so we talked very little. (To be honest, I didn't really learn Alicia's name until January, when I had to write her name on the team rosters before every round. I'm really bad with names.)

Cina 102

When the season ended, we went our separate ways. Alicia graduated UMD in the spring of 2004, so she was no longer eligible to be on the team. But the stars aligned for me, as she returned to the team as an assistant coach. I was only one of two returning team members, which greased the wheels for us to become better acquainted (Talking to people you've already met is an awesome way to avoid meeting new people. What can I say, I'm lazy.).

The 2003-2004 Mock Trial Team, with Alicia and Brian!

We really, truly got to know each other by coming to Mock Trial meetings early. I was in class until 5:40 (Mock Trial started at 7:00), so it was easier if I didn't go home before meetings. Alicia worked until 5ish, so it was easier for her to simply go to UMD. Thus, we came early and talked! We usually fought playfully over whether Target or Walmart was better. Walmart is better, so I always won.

A big turning point occurred when the big regional tournament for Mock Trial came in February. The tournament took place in St. Paul, MN. Thus, the team would split up and carpool down from Duluth, MN. Alicia had to take the LSAT, thus she drove down in her own car. I rode in Prof. Grau's van. Prof. Grau sucked all the fun out of the car trip by grilling me on the case to help prepare. So when the tournament was over and I found out Alicia lived in the same apartment complex as I, I insisted it'd be easier on Prof. Grau to not drive me home. We chatted about movies, games, etc., all the way home. We were some chatty Cathys. My heart goes out to Liz, the poor third student who rode along with us.

Alicia as Assistant Coach

It was awesome knowing someone living basically next door and I'm rather shy, so I knew that if I didn't call Alicia the next day, I'd rarely hang out with her. Luckily, Alicia was thinking the same thing. I called Alicia the next day. On February 14^th, 2005 (Valentine's Day, no less), we had our first date.