For years, I’ve dreamed of what it would feel like to get engaged, as I’m sure many girls do. Movies and books lead me to expect a fairy-tale romance with a White Knight, and social media allowed me to see how creative couples can get when proposing. I didn’t know how or when it would happen, but I was fairly certain the proposal would not be a surprise. I am just so good at figuring things out – not much goes unnoticed.

But I was wrong…

So, this is the story of how my best friend (Alex) planned the most perfect day, showing not only his thoughtfulness but also further showcasing just how much he loves me.

The Back Story

For several weeks leading up to December 23, Alex had been planning a trip. As pilots, we usually jump at the chance to fly somewhere – even if it’s only a day trip. Alex told me several weeks in advance that on this day we would fly to Hattiesburg to pick up his brother, David, and David’s girlfriend, Jade. Of course, I thought it was a great idea, but I thought it was odd Alex never asked me to go. He just stated we were going, and that was that.

The week leading up to the proposal Alex vacationed with my family in the Smoky Mountains, and on multiple occasions he alluded to the fact that 1) he had not yet asked my dad for permission to marry me and 2) he had not bought the ring yet. We had talked about getting married for several months, but I honestly thought he would not propose until after the New Year.

As the day drew closer, Alex suggested we take David and Jade to eat at Weidmann’s, my favorite restaurant in Meridian and one of the oldest restaurants in Mississippi, after we flew back from Hattiesburg. Anyone who knows me well knows I will never turn down the chance to eat good food. So, I immediately agreed to his plan.

Now you must know, lots of people debate what you’re supposed to wear to Weidmann’s. It is easily the most upscale restaurant in Meridian. However, I’ve seen people wear sweatpants and t-shirts to eat there, while the people at the table next to them are in suits and dresses. Knowing this, Alex suggested I wear a dress and heels to get David and Jade since we’d be eating immediately after flying them to Meridian (makes sense, right?).

Well, I had to be difficult. I said I absolutely would not wear a dress and heels to fly in, and I argued that wearing jeans and a cute top would be perfectly acceptable to eat at Weidmann’s. Alex played it cool and said he would “tell Jade to wear the same thing.”

Because he had been so insistent that I wear something nice, I texted him pictures of what I could wear. I assumed he just wanted to make a good impression for David and Jade. Little did I know he was trying to pick out my outfit for our proposal!

Proposal Morning

Saturday morning dawned bright and early, and I struggled to pull myself out of bed. Alex’s mom later told me that he had been up since 7 a.m. talking non-stop. The plan was for Alex to pick me up at 11:30 that day so we could eat lunch at Newk’s, buy some last-minute Christmas gifts, and then, go to the airport. (I found out later this was all a distraction so our family and friends could set up the proposal site!)

Before Alex picked me up at my parents’ house, I was in the kitchen talking to my dad asking what he was doing at our hangar (next to the house). He cooly responded and said he was just cleaning and working on different things (totally normal).

My mom then came into the kitchen dressed in a super cute outfit, which I thought was odd because she supposedly didn’t have anything going on that day. When I asked where she was going, she said in a very suspicious way that she had “some last-minute Christmas gifts to buy.” You should know that my mom cannot keep a secret, so anytime she is trying to pull off a surprise, it’s super obvious. I thought maybe she had something up her sleeve for Christmas, but I never imagined it was my proposal.

Finally, Alex picked me up, and we ran our errands. All this time, it was super windy, and the ceiling (a.k.a. the clouds) was pretty low – not great flying conditions. We decided to go to the airport anyway in hopes the weather would get better.

THE Proposal

We had planned to take off from the Meridian Airport (KMEI) for Hattiesburg at 2:00, but the weather still wasn’t ideal. I let Alex plan the whole flight since it was his idea, but finally, I decided to look at the weather in Hattiesburg: IFR. There was no way we could fly down to pick up David and Jade.

Alex seemed disappointed this was the case, but he called David and asked if they could drive to Meridian and meet us at Weidmann’s instead. Since we suddenly had an hour and a half to kill, Alex suggested we should go flying around Meridian – after all, we were already at the airport. Thankfully, the weather was looking better, and we had clearance to fly. Honestly though, if we were just going to fly around Meridian, I wasn’t quite in the mood. I told him, “I don’t want to go flying, but if you really want to, I’ll go.”

(Sorry for being difficult every step of the way, Alex. I had no idea!)

We started the airplane engine (a Cessna 172, by the way) and listened to the ATIS frequency, which reports wind conditions, ceiling height, active runways, etc. Unfortunately, the ATIS frequency stated a slightly different weather forecast than what our weather apps said. I told Alex (even though he already knew) that according to regulations, we weren’t supposed to fly.

I could see the gears in his brain spinning, trying to figure out a way around it. I thought, “Wow, he really wants to go flying today!” He decided to call the control tower and see if they had a slightly different forecast. Thankfully, they did, and we were clear to fly!

As we took off and started flying around, Alex suggested we fly to my family’s small, private airport and do some practice landings. I didn’t have any preference on where we went, so I agreed. The whole way to my family’s airport, Topton (0MS0), Alex was asking me questions about living on a private airport. You see, he started filming his flights several months ago for a YouTube channel he is planning, and this day was no exception. He had his GoPro set up in the cockpit, filming the flight. Since he always films his flights, I didn’t think this was odd.

We approached Topton, and Alex announced over the radio his intention to land. Our airport is small, and you do not have to receive clearance to land. So, imagine my surprise when my granddaddy came back on the radio and gave Alex the wind forecast, best runway, and more. He NEVER does that. At this point, I started to suspect something.

As Alex set the airplane up for a great landing, he told me to look out the window at the hangar. I noticed a bunch of cars and an airplane sitting outside, but I thought maybe Granddaddy was having a Christmas party with some of his friends. Once the hangar was out of sight, I asked Alex what I was supposed to see, and he told me, “Never mind” – I’d see it shortly.

I thought we would take off again and keep flying around, but Alex insisted we say hello to Granddaddy. As we taxied to the hangar, I could see the cars more clearly and started to recognize them – my grandparents’ car, his grandparents’ car, my sister’s car, and more. At this point, I knew something was going on, but I was scared to get my hopes up. That didn’t stop my heart from beating a million miles an hour!

As we taxied to the front of the hangar, I finally saw what I was supposed to see when Alex told me to look at the hangar: a sign that read, “Marry Me?”

No matter how long you dream about your proposal, no one tells you how to react when it actually happens. As soon as I saw the sign, I think I went into shock, and I said something to the effect of, “Is this real?”

Alex proceeded to tell me he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, and I’m sure he said some other very sweet things. But, unfortunately, I don’t remember anything he said after that! It was all a blur!

We got out of the airplane, and Alex walked me to the front of the hangar. There, he bent down on one knee and pulled out the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen. Once I said “yes,” Alex turned me toward the hangar where the doors opened and our family and friends waited inside. He had planned an engagement party complete with hot chocolate, chocolate-covered strawberries, champagne, and more – all my favorite things!

It was truly the most perfect engagement, and even in my wildest dreams, I could not have imagined anything better. Alex thought of everything! Thank you to our family and friends who helped make the day so perfect and for keeping it a secret. I’m so impressed!

Thankful is an understatement.

While I wish I could remember more of the specifics of what everyone said on the day of our engagement, one thing is certain: I felt so loved – by Alex, by our family, and by our friends.

There are still moments when I look down at my ring that I’m overwhelmed by it all. Humbled to be so loved. Thankful for this man I’ve prayed for. Excited for our future together. Above all, I’m thankful to serve a God who gives us a wonderful example of what unconditional love looks like through his relationship with the church, the Bride of Christ.

I know marriage will be a HUGE adjustment – scary even. But, I thank God for giving us family and friends who have already been so encouraging and uplifting as we make this life transition. People who love us as individuals and as a couple.

Alex and I are deep into wedding planning, and we can’t wait to share more about this journey with you. So, stay tuned!