In 2019, I knew Yesenia was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. For years, I had this big idea to propose at a lantern festival because her favorite movie is Tangled. But since those events happen so rarely, I had to pivot. I started planning about six months in advance and knew exactly who to call. I reached out to my cousin Rj and his wife Brenna, explaining how I wanted to pop the question—and they couldn’t have been more excited to help. From making Pinterest boards to creating invitations to send to family, they really helped bring my vision to life. I asked Rj for ring advice, ordered the ring shortly after, and had it shipped to my best friend Jon’s house so he could hold onto it. But of course, the ring didn’t get delivered because no one was home to sign for the package. In a panic, Jon and I drove to the mail center that same day to pick it up. Easy, right? Of course not. When we got there, they wouldn’t accept my driver’s license as ID because my name and address didn’t match the shipping info. So we went back to the car and scoured our emails to find something that might work. As a last resort—an absolute HAIL MARY—Jon edited my name onto one of his phone bills using his phone. And somehow… it worked! We kept our cool until we walked out of the building, then yelled, “LET’S GOOO!” We opened the package, and the ring was everything I imagined—stunning. Perfect for her. I also had an elaborate plan to make sure she looked and felt her best in the photos. I asked her cousins, Jenease and Taylor, to help. They came up with the perfect cover story: they would gift her a photoshoot, get her nails done, and take her shopping for a dress. The week leading up to the big day, Yesenia was super stressed. We had a lot going on that weekend—graduation on Friday, a family party on Saturday, going out again that night for her birthday, and now a photoshoot too? She still had no idea I was planning to propose. I started feeling really bad and guilty because, ultimately, I knew all that stress was because of me. But I hoped I could create an unforgettable moment that would make everything else fade away. The day after her graduation, during the family party, Jon called to say he had a flat tire (another part of the plan, so I could sneak away to set everything up). When I got there, I saw my whole family arriving, getting everything ready, and writing heartfelt notes for Yesenia, just like I’d asked. It was all coming together. The place was set, and everyone knew what to do. I was a big bag of mixed emotions—the moment I’d waited years for was finally here. From afar, I heard whispers: “She’s here.” Gentlemen Don’t by Gabe Bondoc started playing, and I saw her walking down an aisle of our loved ones. I tried my hardest not to bawl my eyes out. She looked beautiful. The timing was perfect—dusk, surrounded by family, my eyes set on my future wife. With sniffles in the crowd, I got down on one knee and asked: “Yesenia Amparo Garcia, will you marry me?”