Do you remember back to your freshman year of college? The excitement of meeting new people, accompanied by the awkwardness of meeting so many new people.
When Brittany was just a freshman in college at Penn State Erie, she was just hanging out in her dorm room when she happened to find a note that had been slipped under her dorm room door that read, "You're cute. Call me." She laughed, and then absolutely did not call the number left on the note.
In October of that same year, she met an upperclassman boy, Michael, that lived above her in the honors dorm. It turned out she and this boy had a lot of connections, including growing up nearby one another outside of Pittsburgh, and sharing a number of mutual friends. However, she wasn't sold on him. While he seemed nice enough, he was also in a fraternity, and the opposite of her typical taste. But one of those mutual friends of their's assured her that he was a good person and it was worth giving him a chance. Albeit guarded, she obliged. The two began hanging out every single weekend. With all that time spent together, she discovered two things. 1) She reeeally liked being around this guy. 2) The note she had received at the beginning of the school year? Yeah, it had been from Michael!
With that known, she still agreed to be his girlfriend that November and they have been together ever since! (Going on TEN YEARS!)
Michael and Brittany are truly one another's best friend. They bring out the best in each other. They have the cutest banter, cannot stop smiling and laughing, and love doing absolutely everything together. You cannot help but leave their presence feeling happier and better about life. You can get a taste of that characteristic just by perusing through these photos of their engagement shoot at Melon Park. The connection is undeniable. The joy is evident. And it is truly a gift to know such a magnetic pair!
Enjoy this glimpse into their story, and scroll to the bottom to find out how Michael completely surprised her soon to be bride (the planner in the relationship), on the day he proposed!
Throughout the past 10 years together, Michael and Brittany have been through graduations, moves, new jobs, and their favorite memory: Moving into their first house together. They had a blast making it their own, and being able to fall asleep together after laughing and enjoying their favorite show, Parks & Recreation.
In addition to buying their first home, the other stand out memory that represents them perfectly as a couple? The day Michael proposed!
While Michael loves to surprise Brittany, Brittany happens to be the planner in the relationship. So she was SURE she would be tipped off to him popping the question. However, he had been taking notes for the past five years, so he was well prepared with her favorite things, her proposal hopes (the conundrum of wanting it to be just the two of them, but also wanting everyone there), and her ring size (found it by slipping one of her rings on his pinky).
He had secretly managed to ask her parent's permission without Brittany's knowledge. AND he had arranged for all of her best friends to be in town for the proposal weekend.
The day began with brunch at Ditka's, one of their favorite restaurants. Following brunch, they returned home to take a walk on a trail near their house. (Brittany LOVES the outdoors, but notes Michael doesn't often accompany her on walks, so she was ecstatic at the company). There was a beautiful body of water just off the trail that Michael wandered down to. He tried to convince Brittany to come along, but she wasn't having it. Finally he yelled, 'Trust me!" With the same reluctance she had all those years ago as a college freshman, wondering if she should give this boy a shot, she wandered down to the water.
Michael and Brittany are huge Harry Potter fans. So Michael placed Brittany's engagement ring inside a golden snitch that he had been carrying in his pocket all morning. And right there by the water, on a perfect sunny day, Michael pulled out the golden snitch (which Brittany just thought was a cute gesture at first since Michael is so great at those!) and asked her to be his wife.
Once she realized what was happening, she recalls absolutely freaking out. And before giving her man an answer, she inquired, "Do people know??" She of course said yes shortly after and immediately wanted to Facetime their close friends (who happened to be hiding out at her parent's home nearby). Michael convinced her to hold off for a bit on sharing the news and they walked back toward their house, elated. They decided the first place they would go was to her parent's house to share the news of their engagement.
They arrived to find not just her parents, but a large group of her closest friends and family hiding in the kitchen, waiting (with pizza) to surprise and congratulate the newly engaged couple.
To recap: Brunch at one of their favorite restaurants, taking a walk on the trail near their house on a perfect sunny day, *cue surprise engagement with just the two them*, and having their closest friends and family waiting to surprise Brittany yet again at her parent's house (pizza included), all the while wearing sweatpants.
It's safe to say, Michael nailed it. They officially tie the knot this November, and we cannot wait to capture the first day of the next chapter in their beautiful love story. Congratulations to a truly exuberant pair!