My Love Story + Proposal
Photos by Written Shutter
Gentle Fawn Dress ** (wider size selection here) | Kimchi Blue Heels (similar here) | Kendra Scott Earrings | Essie Limited Addiction Nail Polish | Kate Spade Bangle | NARS Cruella
**Get 15% off on this dress and your entire purchase + Free Shipping with my code "RiffraffRepLauren" at checkout on ShopRiffraff.com
J. Hilburn Suit | Button Down Shirt | Johnston and Murphy Wingtips | Beard Oil | Imperial Pomade | Daniel Wellington Watch
I’m not even sure where to start, because I feel like I am still in a dream...but I’ll give it my best college try.
Speaking of college, Nick and I both attended Baylor, but never met, even though we had mutual friends. I would love to think we previously met and have actually searched through old pictures, hoping to find some moment captured in time, where our futures began to intertwine. So far, no luck, but oh well! We both graduated in December 2012, and moved to Dallas, which is where our story began. (Side note- he crammed 5 years of schooling into 4.5 and I crammed 4 years into 3.5, so technically we both graduated early. He’s 26 and I am 24.)
My first job was at J. Hilburn Custom Clothiers, which happens to be headquartered in Dallas. One of the reasons it was so easy to work there, was that it was a popular place for Baylor fashion grads to flock. Because the Baylor fashion school was so small, you were able to know basically all of your classmates. Kami Blease was one of those classmates. She happened to work in the cube across from me at J. Hilburn, so we became better friends after graduation, than we were actually in school. One of the great perks of working for JH, was the discounted menswear we had access to. Nick was one of Kami and her husband’s best friends, so he was able to use her discount as he pleased. Starting spring of 2013, he would often come in and look at all the new fabrics and cuts prior to placing an order. I would often “pop” my head over my cube, which earned me a secret code name of “the gorgeous gopher”. I would often talk to Nick whenever he came in, but we didn’t really have a private conversation until December 2013. That holiday season, he invited me to his personal Christmas party. What was our first discussion about? You guessed it. Football!
We discussed Baylor football, but our first football conversation was in regard to the Dallas Cowboys. He has always had a love for The Boys, much to his Seattle Seahawk loving family's dismay and I have always been involved in sports, so we just kind of hit it off. (All premeditated by Kami, of course) After hanging out in groups for a while, our first date was on January 24th, 2014. That afternoon I received a phone call from my current employer, Dallas Cowboys Merchandising, asking me to come in for an interview. Personally I think that was fate, but then again, I know it was God’s plan all along. I just think it's so funny, because the Cowboys brought us together. For his one year anniversary present, I actually got him a custom jersey.
Fast forward to now. We will have dated for 2 years, on January 24th, 2016. We had discussed marriage, but no real dates or anything. Side note, he thinks I told him that I would breakup with him, if he hadn't proposed by our 2 year...I don't recall ever saying that though. Go ahead, take your side;) Anyway, by things he said and hinted at, I knew the proposal would be relatively soon, just not how or when.
As you probably know, Nick takes 98% of my blog pictures. In the off chance he doesn’t, it is usually my sister, or photographer friend, Ashley Scarbrough. Ashley has photography company called Written Shutter. She takes anything from portraits, to engagements and even weddings. She has done a couple blog sessions for me, but has also done several couple shoots as well! November 2015, Nick asked Ashley to invite me to a Christmas shoot with her. She told me that she was getting some Christmas shoots with several couples, so she could stock photos for the season and wondered if we were free. I made sure Nick was available, then we planned on December 13th, 2015. So yes, as Nick likes to put it, I invited him to my own engagement.
Fun Fact: Nick asked my parent's permission in November. On the day he planned to ask, my dad had just come back from Deer Camp, so he had all of his guns laying out. How appropriate for when his first child's boyfriend was coming over to ask for her hand in marriage ;)
From then on, I began planning our shoot. I got some yummy macarons from Savor Patisserie, to make a milk and cookies scene. They are literally the best macs in Dallas and the owner is the cutest! I also got some mistletoe and some other props, we didn't even end up using. I mean, who needs props, when you have an engagement ring;)
So, last Sunday, I actually woke up feeling horrible. My mom told me to make Nick take me to the doctor, so off to the Urgent Care we went. After a steroid shot, an antibiotic, and some rest, I began getting ready for our photo shoot. Nick came to pick me up around 3:45 and we headed toward Arlington Hall at Lee Park. On the way there, he kept talking about his sleeves and how he thought they were too long and they annoyed him. He went on a little longer than usual, but I didn't think that much of it.
We got there and they actually had most of it blocked off for an event. (fun fact: Nick had actually called to try and reserve the building, but they said they couldn't let him, as it wasn't an official event...and then they ended up having one!) The great part of Arlington Hall at Lee Park, is that there isn't a bad photo opp there, so it really wasn't a problem. We started off with the milk and cookies portion, so I didn't really think it could get any cuter...then it did!
Ashley said she needed to change her camera battery, which was actually code for "it's time to propose!". Nick had gone off to fix his sleeves for the umpteenth time, but this time, actually put the ring box in his pocket. He was wearing a tailored suit, so if he would have had it on him the entire time, I would have noticed. He came back, and began to dance with me. This wasn't weird at all, because he will dance with me anywhere from the grocery store aisle, to my apartment parking lot, no music necessary. He then proceeded to say "Can I ask you a question?" "How confident are you in the fact that I can keep a secret from you for a long time?" He then started to tell me all the reasons he loved me and why he wanted to be with me, then got down on one knee and asked me if I would marry him. I happily said YES.
So was I surprised? Yes! Right after it happened, I began asking him all these questions, as I put 2 and 2 together on some of the things he had been saying to me lately.
I'm so thankful that Written Shutter was there to capture the moment. These will be memories I look back on forever! After the proposal, he surprised me with a reservation at Eddie V's. My parents and sister, Nick's youngest sister, and some couple friends (including Kami) were there waiting for me. One side of me feel's like we have been engaged forever, but I know it has only be 1 week! I can't wait to share everything with y'all, along the way. If you made it this far, thanks for reading and being interested!;)
P.S. I had the perfect proposal hashtag, but We still need a wedding hashtag. (It was #ProposELLE - see my behind the scenes engagement pics on Instagram!) Can you think of any? Here are some things it might involve/help you think of something:
Our Names: Lauren Spann and Nick Mulenos
Pet Name for each other: Bear
Ethnicity: Nick is Greek
Venue: Right now we are looking at this Castle (seriously, a castle!!)
Thank you for all the love and support!
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