Katie:

We were on a family vacation with my family at Ocean Isle Beach, NC. Matt had already asked my parents the month before, and told my family about his plan to propose (so they were all helping him to prep for the big question). My sister suggested that we all get dressed and go to a fun beach bar down the street to enjoy some time together while my parents stayed with my sisters' children. I honestly didn't want to get dressed up and go anywhere because I was so involved in a book that I was reading… Thank goodness I did! After dinner, we all changed clothes and the guys (Matt, Grant, and Brian) took the kids on the beach to run them around and wear them out before bed. Once the girls were dressed and ready to go, we went on the beach to (so I thought) get the kids and put them in bed. Once we walked on the beach, I saw the kids each holding a sign that spelled out "Will you marry me?". Matt knows how much those kids mean to me, and it was so sweet of him to include them in the proposal. Off in the distance ahead of me, I saw Matt waiting for me, so I walked toward him. He got on one knee and proposed, and once we had our little moment alone, I turned around and saw my family waiting with champagne! We had a great night celebrating and sharing the news with family and friends. It was a night I will never forget!

Matt:

I had been thinking about asking Katie to marry me for quite some time but the timing seemed right around the beginning of June. Katie was traveling across the country as a counselor on a trip called TWB, so I knew this would be the perfect time to buy a ring. I asked Katie's parents at the beach over July 4^th, and planned to ask Katie on our August beach trip. I thought a lot about how to ask her over that next month. I know that Katie's favorite people on this earth are her nephews and niece so I knew I wanted them to be a part of it somehow. I also knew that I wanted to be at Ocean Isle Beach, because this is her absolute favorite place. Once that week came I knew how I was going to do it. I got 4 signs made that read "Will You Marry Me?" My plan was for the 4 oldest children to hold the signs and I would be off in the distance on my knee. The plan was to do it on Monday night, but the weather on Saturday night was too perfect. Her sisters came up to me in the kitchen before dinner and said you should do it tonight. This was great because I thought I wouldn't have time to nervous. Boy was I wrong. I could barely eat dinner I was so nervous. After dinner we all got dressed to go out (so Katie thought). After everyone got dressed, Katie's brother in laws and I went out to the beach with the kids. Katie thought the kids were just playing on the beach. I got the kids prepared and I kind of hid behind the dunes so she wouldn't see me at first. We called her sisters who were up at the house and told them it was time to come down to the beach. Once I saw Katie walk on to the beach, I couldn't help but cry with happiness because I saw the girl of my dreams walking towards me, and I was about to ask her to spend the rest of her life with me. She saw the kids, and then she got to me and we had our moment. Once we turned around her family was waiting there to celebrate.

My favorite part of the entire night was how great the kids were. They didn't chase after or yell at Katie with excitement when she walked by them (which is what they would usually do). They just stood there and watched her walk to me. It was perfect.

Registry

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