The Future Mr. & Mrs. Carrillo (We’re Engaged!)

– Mr. Devin and Mrs. Andrea Carrillo: Our Engagement Story 10 Years in the Making – 

There seriously has never been a better night in my life, than December 31st 2012 when my longtime boyfriend, 9 going on 10 years, got down on his knee and asked me to be his wife.

New Years has always been a special night for the two of us, it’s when we shared our FIRST kiss, 10 years ago. – It was New Year’s Eve 2002, Devin was having a party, and a little before midnight, at the top of his staircase, we kissed our first kiss. We followed it up with an official kiss at midnight, and for the last 9 years we have celebrated New Years as our special holiday.

 

10 years later, I had no idea that Devin had secretly picked out and purchased a gorgeous diamond engagement ring, and had plans to ask me to marry him that night.

After getting off work, Devin and I grabbed a quick bite at our favorite restaurant down the street, Elysian Cafe. Looking back now I should have realized Devin was acting a bit strange, like he really wanted to make sure I was in a good mood, wanting to hold my hand during lunch… not that he isn’t normally affectionate, but he was being more so than normal. Now after the fact I realize he was gearing himself up for what was about to come.

Once we were ready for the night, we went to have a champagne toast, the only problem being we didn’t have any champagne. I mean for a man who planned out a proposal, Devin didn’t do a good job of following up with the details. Not only did he have to run out to grab the champagne, the cameras weren’t situated either. See each year we take a picture together on New Year’s Eve, it’s become our tradition, so he knew he wanted to capture the proposal on camera. But the tripod was missing a piece and the other camera had no battery.

After a quick charge, we walked down to the Hudson river to get our traditional photo. Again I should have been suspicious of why Devin wanted to take a photo in front of the skyline, but I wasn’t, I just went with it. And when he said let’s take off our big coats, I didn’t think twice. I stood there in the freezing cold in a little blue dress to take our picture. We were playing with the camera settings trying to get a good exposure on the skyline when a couple stopped to ask us if we wanted them to take the photo. Not wanting an audience, Devin quickly shooed them away.

We took a few photos and then because the camera was dying and I was freezing I said, “ok we got them let’s go”, but Devin wanted to take one more. I stood there waiting for him to set the timer and as he came up to me he said “How about this pose” as he dropped down on his knee.

I had the biggest smile on my face and was in complete shock. Devin got choked up and had forgotten everything he had planned to say, but what he said was perfect, “Andrea I love you, will you Marry Me?” I said “Yes! Of Course!” and then grabbed the ring box out of his hand and ran to under the street light so I could see it. Then told Devin, “Well are you going to put the ring on my finger?!”, and he replied back with a bit of attitude, “Well if you gave me the chance I would”.

The ring was gorgeous and was a perfect fit, he did an amazing job picking it out! We spent the rest of the night celebrating our engagement at Gotham Hall in New York City with our friends. And like we had 10 years earlier we shared a New Years Kiss, only this time as finance’s.

New Year’s has always been a special day for the two of us and now it holds even more meaning as it was the night that Devin and I vowed to spend forever together, to grow old with one another, sharing all our life experiences, and traveling the world as Mr. & Mrs.