As we ring in the New Year, we love taking the time to show gratitude to our amazing Weddings by Funjet couples and share the excitement in their lives! Over the last 365 days, there have been many experiences and stories to share filled with surprise, love, and laughter. We love gushing at any romantic tale we can get our hands on! What better way to inspire newly engaged couples than share the love stories of engagements from some of our own couples! Not yet engaged? Don’t worry, we’re confident some of these stories will create some amazing inspiration for your soon-to-be spouse to take note of. Here are our top 10 favorite engagement stories from the last year with the insider scoop on where and when they plan to tie the knot, written by the brides-to-be themselves!
1. Keyla + Kenny
“Kenny and I first met in elementary school. Years later, we found each other again on social media while Kenny was deployed overseas and I was an undergrad in college. We were talking for five months before he came back to the States and we had our very first date. Fast forward four years later, Kenny spent weeks planning a trip to London for the New Year. He knew that I always wanted to go to Europe and told me the trip was myChristmas present. During a private tour in the Shard, the tour guide led us down the stairs to a row of flowers and candles with the view of the city as the backdrop. I was mesmerized and couldn’t take my eyes off the beautiful view as Kenny wrapped his arms around me from behind. When I heard their song “I Wanna Luv U” by Donell Jones play on the sound system, I turned around to look at Kenny as he bent on one knee and asked me to be his wife. I happily said yes to my prince charming.”
Keyla and Kenny will say “I do” in October 2018 at Finest Playa Mujeres in Cancun, Mexico.
2. Ebony + Deonte
“Deonte and I met at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee where we both worked in the summer of 2015. After secretly dating for a few months they decided to make it official on November 5, 2015. They quickly fell in love and found that they had many things in common including their love for the community and the advancement of youth as well as traveling, sports and overall just having a great time. Many of their early memories were created while traveling. Deonte surprised Ebony with a trip to New York for her birthday and in return Ebony surprised Deonte with a trip to Mexico for his 30th Birthday, which became the best trip the two of them had experienced together.
The two quickly decided that because they loved the trip so much they wanted to take their family on a trip to experience another side of the world so they begin to plan Deonte's Mother’s 50th birthday trip back to Mexico. Little did Ebony know that Deonte was planning to make the celebration much bigger than she could imagine. A group of 10 traveled to Mexico on May 2, 2017 to celebrate family and life and Ebony planned an all-white dinner at a steakhouse at the resort for May 4, 2017. Deonte decided that would be a perfect day to change their lives forever. While going around the table each family member was asked to say something nice about LaDora Davis (the birthday girl, Deonte's Mother). When it came time for Deonte to speak his speech, it quickly transformed from all the reasons he adores his Mother to the love he has for Ebony. He got on his knees, and popped the big questions and the even bigger surprise was that all of Ebony's family and friends have been FaceTimed in so they could enjoy the moment as well. Ebony immediately accepted the proposal and knew that Deonte was the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with.”
Ebony and Deonte will say “I do” in sunny Playa del Carmen, Mexico at Sandos Playacar in May 2018.
3. Jessica + Wes
“I had been single for about two years when one of my close friends convinced me to get on Tinder. I was super reluctant at first, but a day or two after joining, Wes and I matched and he sent me a message that said, “Hey! What’s up?” I hadn’t responded to any other matches yet but he seemed harmless so I figured I had nothing to lose. We texted back and forth for two weeks and finally decided to meet up at a local brewery one night. I am so glad I responded to him that day, because we have been together ever since!
Flash forward to four years later, getting engaged had been a fairly open discussion for us for a while. I am still surprised I didn’t know something was up the day he proposed until right before he asked! Wes woke up super early on his day off to make me breakfast before I went to work, fix my lunch, and even started to clean up the house. I didn’t think anything of it, because Wes is always very thoughtful and sweet. All day I thought we were just going to grab a quick dinner after work, but when I got home he told me we were going on a double date. I quickly changed and we started to leave, but I realized he was taking a weird way to get to the restaurant. I asked why, and he said there will be too much traffic if we go the other way. Again, I didn’t really think anything of it because he was probably right.
Once we were almost to the interstate, he got a “text” from his friend saying his girlfriend was running late. He then asked if I wanted to go to our spot to kill a little time before we met up with them, which was only a minute or two from where we were. Over the course of our four years of dating, we have spent many afternoons and nights at our special spot at the lake near our house. As soon as he said this I knew he was going to propose. I didn’t want to ask any more questions and ruin the proposal, so I just went along with whatever he said. Once we walked over to our spot, he gave me a big hug and told me he loved me. As soon as I looked up at him, he started crying, dropped to one knee, and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes! After a minute or so, my mom, his mom, and stepdad popped out behind a tree to congratulate us - which was a total surprise! We spent the rest of the night celebrating and telling all of our loved ones the news. It was a night we will never forget!”
Jessica and Wes will be married in April 2019 at Finest Playa Mujeres in Cancun, Mexico.
4. Nisa + Edwin
“We meet in high school. We were best friends before lovers. He asked me out on a date when I was 19 years old and the rest is history. He took me to Fogo de Chao, we had dinner and once the dessert came out the waitress came out with champagne and cake. The cake had “Will you marry me?” and the ring was in a strawberry connected to the champagne. It was a night that will never be forgotten!”
Nisa and Edwin will say their vows on the beaches of Punta Cana at Barcelo Bavaro Palace in June 2019.
5. Rachel + Steven
“Steven and I first saw each other 11 years ago from a far at an event. We knew of each other but didn't know each other. He clearly wanted to come up and say something to me but was too shy to. When I got to school Monday morning, a friend came up to me and told me that Steven saw me at the event and wanted my number. The rest is history.
Our engagement was epic and the best surprise ever. We were on vacation in Jamaica for Steven's niece’s graduation trip with his whole family. We stayed at the beautiful RIU Reaggae resort in Montego Bay. It was our second night there and I was told to dress up because the family was planning on going to a fancy restaurant at the resort. We went to eat and then sat and waited for the nightly entertainment show that was performed by the resort. The MC got on the mic and said they were going to do a drawing for a prize. The prize was not disclosed but could be anything! The MC pulled our room number and I still didn't think anything of it, I was just excited to be a winner! When I opened the box to see the prize, there was a ring in it and Steven got down on his knee. His family and the crowd went crazy.”
Rachel and Steven will say “I do” in October 2018 at Sandos Caracol Eco Resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
6. Alyssa + Kyle
“We got engaged Memorial Day weekend as Kyle was heading to New York for work. The previous year we planned a trip to visit New York that same weekend, but had to cancel last minute as I started my new job. Kyle knew I had never been to New York before, so this almost seemed like fate. He booked our flights, and we were off! We stayed in Brooklyn and went back and forth to the city with the ring "safely" sitting in Kyle's pocket the entire time. On our second day in New York, Kyle planned the entire day starting with a walk around Central park, a little shopping, a tour of the Rockefeller Center, proposing to me on the Top of the Rock, and ending the night with a Broadway musical, and sight-seeing in Times Square. Sounds perfect, right? As Kyle was about to get down on his knee above the New York skyline, the couple directly behind me beat him to the punch!
Although it seems like Kyle's plan was foiled, the next day put his original plan to shame. We started off the day eating the best bagels we will ever have in our lives, and spent most of the afternoon laughing and being goofy while taking pictures with the wax figures at Madame Tussauds. Kyle and I then took a long walk to see the 9/11 Memorial, which gave us time to talk and reflect on life before we headed to our last stop that day; the Manhattan Boat Tour that would take us to the statue of Liberty.
We got on the boat right before sunset, and we started sailing away as the city was slowly lighting up. It was breathtaking and I was filled with so much joy that I didn't want the night to end. Kyle waited until we were alone and took me to the front of the boat. He kept hugging and kissing me telling me how much he loved me. On May 20th, 2017 as we approached the statue of Liberty, Kyle finally asked the question I had been waiting 8 years to hear; "Will you marry me?"”
Alyssa and Kyle will say their vows surrounded by loved ones in December 2018 at the beautiful Majestic Elegance Resort in Punta Cana.
7. Justine + Michael
“On the night of January 28, 2012, two complete strangers went into a packed pub called Blarney Stone to watch the Mizzou basketball game! Katie and I, who is now my maid of honor, were sitting at the bar and Michael was with a group of friends across the room sitting at a table. As the night progressed, we kept catching each other’s eye. Michael finally got enough courage to walk over and place a napkin in front of me. What else was on that napkin but a game of tic-tac-toe with a note that said “Your turn!” We returned the napkin with their own version of table games - hangman! The phrase was none other than “Will buy shots for table!” Now this was important because we had a group of girlfriends coming up to meet us at the bar. Much to their surprise, MICHAEL SOLVED IT! Like any good loser I had to honor my loss and buy Michael a Rumchata shot! Michael, on the other hand, kept his part of the deal and gave up the table to me and my beautiful friends. From this simple interaction LOVE began...
On June 16, 2017 Michael popped the question while on my family vacation in Destin, Florida. We decided to spend the final day of vacation on Crab Island. The day was beautiful, active & the daiquiris tasted just right, it was the perfect day! As one adventure came to an end it was time for another to begin. Together with toes in the sand, the sunset fading into the night and stars appearing in the sky, the moment felt right for Michael. As I was wishing on my stars, Michael looked at me nervously and said, “I bet I can make your wish come true!” My response, “I can’t tell you because it won’t come true! What did you wish for?” Passionately Michael said, “My wish is for you to marry me!” then as he dropped to one knee, reality set in, and Michael was proposing! All I could do was cry ‘yes, yes, YES!!!!!’”
Justine and Michael will be married at the gorgeous Paradisus Playa del Carmen in January of 2018.
8. Sarah + Mort
“It was a Monday morning and Mort was leaving for his first long work trip since we had been together. He texted me asking if I wanted to go for one more walk before his trip. I begrudgingly got up early (not a morning person) and headed outside. I met Mort and Skylar outside my apartment and we started on our regular walking path, near the lake. We got to one of our favorite spots, where the path is almost surrounded by the lake. Mort asked me, "Do you want to add another move to our handshake?" And as the jerk I am, I said "I don't know, I think it's actually pretty good already."
So for some background, Mort and I have a not-so-secret handshake that we have been adding to since the beginning of our relationship. Every so often, we'll add a move. So when Mort asked to add something new, I was thinking "I won't be able to remember all of it if we keep adding to it!"
After my jerk response, Mort says that he has a really good idea for another move. And I respond by saying "ok fine, what's your proposal?" I literally said proposal! Mort just smiled and started our handshake. After completing the handshake I knew, I turned to Mort to see what his cool new move was, and Mort was down on one knee with a ring in his hand. Mort told me all of the good things and I started tearing up. After lots of hugs, kisses, happy tears, and a resounding "YES!" Mort and I headed back to his place. We finally calmed down a bit and I had to run and get copious amounts of tissue to stop the constant flow of tears. We sat on the couch and Mort told me how he asked my parents for their blessing almost 6 weeks ago! Not only that, but he had called each of my siblings and asked for their blessing as well.
Mort told me that he actually had the ring in his pocket the entire weekend. We had gone hiking and had a few other opportune moments for the proposal. Mort asked me four times if I wanted to add to our handshake and each time I said no! So finally, on Monday morning, he couldn't wait any longer! Mort also told me that the ring was actually his Mother's ring. Mort's dad had designed the ring for her and gave it to her on the day Mort was born. Mort had no idea the ring existed until a few weeks prior when his Mom offered the ring to him. I unfortunately never had a chance to meet Mort's dad. He passed away almost exactly a year before I met Mort. This was a really special way to incorporate such a special person into our marriage.”
Sarah and Mort are getting married at Generations Riviera Maya in November 2018.
9. Amelia + Jay
"In 2008, Jay and I met in high school, started dating and eventually became best friends, not ever thinking that we've already found our better half. After three years of having a long distance relationship, we realized that we didn't want to be a part from one another and moved to Duluth together. In 2014, we graduated from UMD and packed our bags for Minneapolis, without having any tentative plans for work. Although it was a stressful and scary move, we always had faith in one another.
Shortly after the big move Jay had been constantly torturing me with "fake" proposals with my white jewelry box for months. Like after a romantic dinner or scenic hike and even when I hopped out of the shower. There he'd be down on one knee with that stupid white box. He had me fooled almost every time! I had a feeling he'd propose on our anniversary, but he was determined to make sure it would be a surprise.
On March 1, 2015, we went to Rosedale Mall for some "casual shopping." When we came across a photo booth, Jay insisted that we should take a picture "for old time sake." He literally had to beg me to do it. Eventually, I gave in, not knowing what all the fuss was really about. After the second frame of pictures, Jay pulled out that stupid white box, but this time I just rolled my eyes and made a funny face. Seconds later, he pulled out a silver box, got down on one knee, revealing a gleaming diamond ring, and asked," Babe, will you marry me?"
Amelia and Jay will say their vows just a few days after their 10th anniversary on the beautiful island of Cozumel, Mexico at the Occidental Cozumel Resort in May 2018.
10. Melanie + Michael
“The story of Michael Palacios and I is a tale as old as time. It all started when I was a high school student at Northtown Academy. I would walk down the hallways as a freshman and constantly see him pass by me. He was a junior and I knew he was in the same class as my sister Ashley. I was invited to an upperclassmen party and found out that he was going to be there as well. This was finally my time to make my move and introduce myself. When I arrived at the party where he was standing my heart fluttered. I was determined to get to know him and was not afraid to be the girl to break the ice. He was the shyest guy I had ever met, yet that didn't bother me at all. Michael has this shy aspect to him but, also this confidence to how he carries himself that made me attracted to him. On November 6th, 2007 we had finally started dating and the rest is written in history.
August 20th, 2017 is the day we had had our apartment warming party. Michael knew how important for me it was to have my entire family be there. I wanted to have my whole family come to see our new home we were making for ourselves. In my mind, I had envisioned everything perfectly. Yet, when the day arrived everything that could have gone wrong did. I was so overwhelmed with the number of tasks that were at hand. Meanwhile, Michael seemed to be calm and collected but was avoiding eye contact with me the whole time the party was happening. He was running around all over the house making sure all of my family was taken care of. When people had started to make their departure Michael mentioned to me in my ear that we should thank everyone for their support coming as well as this start to this new chapter in our lives. The plan was for me to do all the talking and for him to say a polite thank you at the end since he is of course shy. When I had finished my speech he had begun telling everyone thank you but to my surprise kept going. He began telling our parents how much he appreciated them coming, and lastly me. He turned to me and looked me in the eye and told me how thankful he is for me putting the party together, and how he loves me. In that moment I saw him reach behind his back pocket and my heart sank into my stomach. I felt myself begin to choke up as I realized what was happening. He got down on one knee and asked, “ … will you marry me.” For once I couldn’t speak. I just nodded my head and couldn’t stop smiling as he took my hand and slid the ring onto my finger. I thought to myself this day couldn’t get any better. It was everything I wanted, and more.”
Melanie and Michael will say “I do” in May 2019 at the gorgeous Barcelo Maya Beach + Caribe in Riviera Maya, Mexico.
