We love a great Harry P Leu Gardens proposal story, don’t you? Leu Gardens is such a beautiful place and we knew that we wanted to feature Karen & Willam’s Harry P Leu Gardens marriage proposal story.
Share with us when and how you met each other.
We met each other all the way back in 2014 at our old, community church. She was a regular attendee and choir member there. One day, I have visited the church with my family and instantly became infatuated with her. I joined the church band as their drummer just to get to know her better! Eventually, things fell in place and we started dating.
What are your favorite things to do together as a couple?
She loves to drag me out bike riding with her. I give her a hard time, but I enjoy our rides together. I’m a history buff, so we love exploring old parts of cities, visiting museums, and local parks. We are also taco fanatics and love to spend far too much time and money scouring the city for the best tacos.
How long were you together before getting engaged?
That’s a long story, but we started dating when she was 15 years old and I had just turned 17 years old. We were high school sweethearts up through the beginning of our college years. We drifted apart for a while, but we found our way back to each other! In total, it has been 7 years since we first started dating, and 9 years since we first met each other.
Did anyone help with the Harry P Leu Gardens marriage proposal?
My fiancée’s best friend and photographer Daisy Pyle.
Share your Leu Gardens marriage proposal story…
She was expecting a ring and I had already bought it. I had been planning the proposal for quite some time, but COVID-19 had unfortunately delayed my plans. In January of 2021, with a new job in hand, I was eager to finally propose. Over the years, I picked up on her ideal expectations for her engagement day. I knew her preferred setting, time of day, wardrobe, and level of familial involvement.
I planned a whole day for her. She grew up in the mountainous region of Nicaragua around horses and is deeply in love with them. I booked us a 2-hour trail ride through Lake Louisa State Park. The ride was gorgeous & scenic. She loved her horse, Monty, and laughed and smiled the whole ride.
I knew she was always secretly anticipating her engagement during every event we did together, so I purposefully chose to not propose to her during our trail ride. I wanted the moment to be fully unexpected.
After the trail ride, we ate a simple lunch of her choice. It was not fancy, but it was delicious.
I suggested that we head to the Historic Winter Park area. I explained that I had read about a cool botanical garden there, Harry P. Leu Gardens, that I thought she would like. Always one for nature, she readily agreed to go.
I had previously been to the gardens with her photographer friend the week prior. We walked the gardens for hours that day trying to find the ideal spot for the proposal. Finally, we found a pathway between two rows of giant oak trees. It was a private and serene spot, with a majestic aura. It was the perfect place to propose to Karen.
I do not remember too much about our actual visit to the gardens on the day of the proposal. My mind was busy with thoughts of the upcoming question and trying to act normal. We explored the gardens for a couple of hours, stopping to take pictures and soak in the various beautiful sights.
Finally, we reached the spot where I was going to propose. I let her walk a slight bit ahead of me in order to get the ring out, and waited until she turned her back in order to bend down on one knee. I kept my words simple. I was too nervous for an elaborate speech. She didn’t need a fancy speech. She just needed to hear the question.
After the proposal moment was over, her photographer friend came out and surprised her. We wandered the gardens, taking more pictures along the way. When we had finished, we changed clothes and headed to an engagement dinner I had coordinated with our families and close friends.
What was the best moment of the proposal?
The look in his eyes when he asked me to marry him.
Who did you tell that you were engaged first?
I immediately called my family from Colombia.
Tell us about the ring!
It is a round stone 1.4 ct. stone set into a 14K rose gold cable profile cross prong pave ring. Along the sides of the ring, there are an additional .38 ctw. worth of diamonds. The center stone is a color rating of “E” and a clarity rating of “VS1.” I bought the ring from James Allen.
The amount of time and energy it takes to plan something from the simplest detail.
Being able to spend more time together to plan for our special wedding day and life afterward.
What are you most excited about wedding planning?
Choosing the venue was something we were most excited about. We went with the Ever After Farms Blueberry Barn.
If you’ve already decided, when are you getting married and what is your venue?
Jan 2, 2022, at the Ever After Farms Blueberry Barn.
Why did you choose that venue?
It was elegant and rustic with a beautiful natural look. This venue is breathtaking with a beautiful 150-year-old oak tree.
200
$20,000
Rustic and elegant.
Have you selected any other vendors for your wedding?
Photolocity
Sweet by Holly
The wedding venue map has been extremely helpful throughout the whole venue search. It’s incredible how many wedding venue options it provides just by filtering through your preferences. Highly recommend it to brides who are still searching.
Congratulations Karen & William on your Harry P Leu Gardens marriage proposal!
Want to feature your proposal? CLICK HERE to submit your story!
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