Southern Bells: You Be My Louisiana, I'll Be Your Mississippi

I'm so excited to share the beautiful engagement story of my sweet friends, Kristen and Andrew. It's not often that, as a couple, you are blessed with another couple whose time you enjoy so immensely. So, when Jeff and I get to hang with these two crazy cats, it's never a dull moment.

Kristen, I am so happy you have found a soul mate in Andrew. It is so comforting to see a couple that works perfectly together. I can't wait to share this marriage journey with you.

How did Andrew swoop ya?

Andrew and I met the old fashioned way…at the fraternity house. Ha! Andrew had recently transferred from Clemson University to Southern Miss and started running in the same circles as my friends. One night while hanging out with friends, Andrew and I were talking about the upcoming Homecoming game and he asked me to go as his date. Of course I said yes! I don’t remember any of the game because we were so busy talking and laughing. A few weeks later my best friends convinced me to invite “the cute new guy from Clemson” to our sorority formal. We danced all night and had such an amazing time. He was so easy and fun to be around which is one of the things I love most about him. We quickly became a couple and as they say, the rest is history.

What makes this guy special?

When I first met Andrew, my first thought was, “he’s cute AND funny!” I’ve always been attracted to guys with a good sense of humor, but little did I know how much more there was to Andrew. Andrew is the greatest man I've ever met, other than my amazing daddy. He is a true Southern gentleman and a man of character. I immediately felt comfortable around him…I knew I could tell him anything and be my true self around him. I trust Andrew completely and respect him so much. Most importantly, he is a man of God and I know that he will help me become the Christian woman I was meant to be. He treats me with the love and respect that every woman deserves, and I’m so very grateful!

Now that we're all gushing over the 'cute guy from Clemson,' tell us about the proposal!

The day Andrew proposed will go down in history as one of the best days of my life! A few weeks before Thanksgiving Andrew and I decided that after celebrating Thanksgiving at his parent’s house in Covington, LA we would go into New Orleans the day after to spend some time in our favorite city. Luckily for Andrew, I was the one who suggested this idea so I wasn’t suspicious at all. We went to see a movie at the Canal Place theatre. I should have known Andrew was up to something when he volunteered to see the new Twilight movie (which would never have happened otherwise), but I insisted we see Lincoln instead (so romantic, haha!). After the movie we walked down Royal St. and went to art galleries and antique shops before going to Café Du Monde for beignets. While sitting at Café Du Monde Andrew said that one of our friends from New Orleans wanted to see us, and he would meet up with us in Jackson Square. We walked through Jackson Square and decided to wait for our friend at the fountain that sits in front of St. Louis Cathedral (my favorite spot in New Orleans). At this point I’m still clueless about what’s going on. We sat down on the fountain and I said, “This has been the best day ever.” Andrew replied, “I know, and I just want to spend every day with you for the rest of my life.” That’s when he hit one knee and everything becomes a blur! All I know is that I said YES! After a nice stranger took our picture, Andrew said that we had a dinner reservation to get to and that we needed to hurry. As I floated towards the restaurant staring at my hand Andrew asked me not to call anyone about the news until after dinner. When we walked into the restaurant to be seated and turned the corner that’s when I got the best surprise of my life. All of our family and friends, including my 3 best friends that I hadn’t seen in months, were standing there waiting for us! That’s when the waterworks really started! We spent the rest of the night celebrating with all of our loved ones and I couldn’t have imagined a better night or proposal.

What gets ya' most excited about marriage?

I’m most excited about sharing a home with my best friend! After surviving the struggles of a long distance relationship for nearly two years, we can’t wait to know that we are coming home to each other everyday and have a place that we can call our own. We are just so excited about this next chapter in our lives!

Any planning advice?

Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize! The first thing I did after getting engaged is decide what aspects of our wedding are most important to me and what I wanted to splurge on. I made my top three list: photography, band, and wedding dress (of course). By doing this, I don’t get distracted from what is most important- preparing to marry Andrew. Anyone can have an amazing wedding, but we want our marriage to be more beautiful than our big day! Also, DON’T compare your wedding to the ones you see in the bridal magazines. Comparison is the thief of joy. Trying to compete with another person’s dream wedding will only take away from the excitement of your own.