"People have always said to me 'when the right one comes along - you will know!'. I never really believed that to be true. I didn't believe in soulmates, or love at first sight or having that one person in the world you are meant to be with. I believed that relationships took hard work and years of getting to know someone and I thought I would be forever skeptical of true love and never thought it would happen to me.
Then I met Mike and everything changed.
When I began online dating I wasn't really expecting to meet my future husband. I was newly single in a new city, just on the cusp of beginning an incredible new career and feeling like as an independent person things were going so well. I was ready to meet someone new and possibly prepare for the next adventure and chapter of my life.
I chatted with Mike for a few days before we decided to meet in person. We had a connection right away which I think surprised us both. Right away I felt at ease with him and he was so charming and engaging I honestly couldn't have picked a better date myself. The first date ended with a hug and later I received a cute follow up message saying how much he enjoyed our night together. The first date was supposed to be a quick meet and greet over a glass of wine - but we ended up talking for hours.
The following night we made plans to see each other again. Before we knew it - we were spending every single day together since our first date. After about a week, he helped me move into a new apartment and it only took a few days after that for us to plan a vacation to Mexico together. 3 weeks went by and after an incredible day spent together we told each other that we loved each other and realized we were meant to be and we couldn't picture our lives without one another. Our plans of a future engagement and planning a wedding and starting a family started that night. We realized we fell in love at first sight but were so shocked we felt this way so soon about someone we were so scared to say it.
After the vacation to Mexico and continuing to spend every second of our free time together, I found myself telling my landlord I was moving out and in with my boyfriend. I knew Mike was my husband and I was so excited to start planning our life together.
There was an opportunity for us to fly to Maui for a wedding in September and we jumped at the chance to have a vacation in this stunning destination. With Hawaii being such a beautiful place I suggested we hire a professional photographer to have a photoshoot on the beach knowing that these memories would be with us forever. I hinted that we could use these photos for Save the Dates or Wedding Invitations if we ever got engaged - he agreed and we booked for a few days into our trip.
Weeks before the vacation and we still weren't engaged. I tried ask about the ring and if anything was going to happen before our trip and of course he brushed it off and gave vague answers. I had a feeling that the he had ordered an engagement ring but I didn't want to pressure or nag him so I tried very very hard to not bring it up too much. We flew to Hawaii still not engaged but in my mind I kind of hoped it would just happen the second we got there.
The day of the photoshoot I couldn't help but feel a little sad. I was so grateful that we were on this amazing vacation together and had this great photoshoot booked but all I wanted was to be his fiancé and I wish I could just tell it to the world. I didn't have a ring on my finger and I know that's not everything but I couldn't help but hide my feelings and Mike knows me so well he could tell something was up and kept asking me "what's wrong babe?"
Arriving at the beach in Maui and meeting Svetlana she asked right away if we were engaged. My heart sunk a little when I had to tell her 'No, not yet'. The photoshoot started and we were about ten minutes in when we started to walk along some rocks trying to get some photos in when Mike said "wait - before we keep doing this I am going to ask her to marry me."
I turned around to see Mike holding the ring. He dropped to his knee and asked me if I would marry him and I think I starting crying tears of joy and laughing at the same time. It is honestly a moment I can never forget and still gives me goosebumps when I think about it. I hugged him and he told me he has loved me since day one and always will. I started laughing because he asked if this is why I was acting different today - he knew the reason I was a in a sad mood was because we weren't engaged yet. This is just how well he knows me!
Mike is the most supportive person in my life. He looks out for me like no one ever has before and I'm so grateful that he allowed me to believe in true love. I'm so happy our engagement was caught on camera so we can look back that special moment for the rest of our lives. We have started to plan our wedding in Kelowna in August of 2018 and excited for what the future holds!
Turns out its true - "when you know, you know."" - Lara
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