This story actually starts six months before, on Christmas of 2022. Nervous and excited, I pulled Lindsay’s sister, Jill, to the side and told her first: I want to ask you and your parents for their blessings to marry Lindsay.

“Yes!” she said, and excitedly, she discreetly helped me gather her parents while making sure Lindsay was nowhere nearby. “Are you sure?” Paul said, “because we have a strict no return policy!” We laughed, and Veronica gave me the biggest hug, and they welcomed me into their family.

I made sure to ask her cousin Tommy (the jeweler) for his help in creating a beautiful ring that would complement my soon-to-be fiancé. The ring was extra special since it was made by family. The question now was: when and where?!

As some of you may know, Lindsay and I love to travel, so I wanted to incorporate that into our next adventure. Europe 2023 was completely planned by Lindsay—little did she know she was planning our engagement vacation! Paris was going to be our first stop, and I knew I had to propose on day one, or the ring would be burning a hole in my pocket.

I contacted a photographer based in Paris and asked her to capture this milestone in our lives. I told her I wanted to propose in a private environment, knowing that right under the Eiffel Tower would be too crowded. She suggested Pont Alexandre III, a historic landmark dating back to the 1900s. This bridge has beautiful architecture and breathtaking views of the Eiffel Tower in the background. I knew all of this would make for a great photoshoot, but I had more questions: “What do I wear? How do I get Lindsay to pick her engagement outfit without telling her it’s her engagement outfit?”

These images will be hanging in our future home and will be in our memories for life, so I didn’t want to disappoint and knew I had to go all out! I decided a suit was the way to go. I made reservations at a really fancy restaurant and told Lindsay she’d have to wear a nice outfit. She kept questioning why I was bringing a suit to Europe when we should be packing light. I said, “Just give me your opinion, the charcoal or navy suit for the fancy dinner?” She said, “I don’t care, Kevin, I’m stressed about my own outfit for this dinner. Just take the navy!” Little did she know, she had just picked the suit I was going to propose in!

A couple of days before the trip, I was super excited about my elaborate plan and was bragging to everyone. Literally everyone and their moms! Then I realized that was a bad idea because someone could slip up and ruin it! Thankfully, no one did. I was most excited to show the ring to Lindsay’s grandma and tell her how I was going to propose to Lindsay in Paris. She was delighted and smiled from ear to ear. As she held the ring, she said, “Take care of my granddaughter!” with her fist in the air. “I always will, Grandma,” I reassured her. She sadly passed a few months later, but this moment will always be a core memory.

The day had finally arrived—June 5th, my 26th birthday. Lindsay, Jill, Carmel, and I had landed in Paris and were all headed to Pont Alexandre in an Uber. I kept thinking, “Beautiful weather, beautiful views, for a beautiful moment.” The car ride was silent, but I’m sure my heart could be heard beating out of my chest from anxiety. This was it—six months in the making—a night we will talk about for the rest of our lives.

We met up with the photographer and made our way to the spot. A group photo to begin with, then Carmel and Jill stepped to the side. I faced Lindsay and looked into her big brown eyes. “I love you, and I cherish all the adventures and milestones we’ve experienced together. I can’t wait to create many more beautiful memories by your side, but this time as your husband. Will you marry me?”