Our Story
How We Met
We met while attending Kansas State University. We were coworkers in the embroidery department at a sportswear company in Manhattan, Kansas. At first, I didn't think John liked me because he hardly said a word to me (plus, I was always making mistakes and John had to help me fix them). But he actually did like me- he was just very shy! Finally, we struck up a conversation and we became friends at work. I didn't think of him as more than a friend until we went salsa dancing one night after work. We started dating, but didn't plan on getting into a serious relationship as I was moving back to the St. Louis area in a few months. Things did get serious, however, and after nearly a year of long distance dating John and I moved in together.
The Proposal
John wanted to celebrate New Year's Eve by taking me to a formal dinner at the Top of the Riverfront in downtown St. Louis. It is a 360 degree revolving restaurant located at the top of the Millenium Hotel, offering a panoramic view of the city. We enjoyed a leisurely four course dinner while taking in the beautiful view and listening to a jazz band. At midnight we celebrated with noise makers and a champagne toast. At the end of the evening John suggested we take a walk down by the Arch grounds and see if we could take a horse-drawn carriage ride. I agreed, even though it was freezing cold outside and I was wearing a formal gown. We walked through the park grounds below the Arch but there were no carriages to be found- in fact, there was no one around. When we got to the bottom of the grand staircase, John suggested we walk to the top to get a better view of the Arch. He proceeded to nearly drag me all the way up the stairs as I complained of the freezing cold, my aching feet, and asked to go home. Finally, we got to the top of the stairs and he began telling me how much I meant to him and asked me to marry him. I was so shocked that I didn't say anything- I just stood there speechless like an idiot! Finally, I said yes and we stood there for a few minutes and hugged. Then we saw a bright light coming out of the darkness and heard a voice shouting at us. A park ranger riding a bicycle came out from under the trees and yelled at us for being in the park. The park was closed and no one was allowed to be there. So the ranger kicked us out, but it was worth it- it's a moment I'll never forget and a funny story!