Some of you have probably already heard our story and others were lucky enough to have witnessed the start of our relationship, but for those of you who don't know, Brian thinks it is the greatest love story of our generation.
Brian first laid eyes on me in the halls of St. Jane de Chantal, a place where boys never wore deodorant and girls ran rampant with cooties, but I never noticed him until he got his foot run over... allegedly. He claims I always wore a white headband and glasses but I'm pretty sure the only reason why he remembers me is because I was the only Asian girl in the whole school.
After middle school we met each other a few times in passing when I would go out with Jenny and he would hang out with Nick, but you all know Brian and you know he never says much. It wouldn't be until Jenny and Nick's wedding that we really "fell" in love.
It was July 9th, 2016. I was a bridesmaid. He was a groomsman. After a twist of fate, Brian and I were paired together to walk down the aisle. I could never remember what he looked like or if he was Brian or Ryan, but he would get another chance at a first impression. Unfortunately, he screwed that up to. Brian barely showed up to the rehearsal on time, and I still didn't know if he was Brian or Ryan. I decided to sit next to him at the rehearsal dinner and he decided not to say a word the entire time. I hoped he wouldn't be that boring the next day.
Nick and Jenny had a beautiful wedding ceremony and Brian had maybe said three words the whole day. It was almost time for the reception when I told him we needed to plan our bridal party entrance. He obviously had no idea what I was talking about. We decided on him dancing like an idiot and me jumping on him. When the DJ called our names and I saw Brian doing the most pathetic dance I had ever seen in my life, I ran up behind him and jumped on his back! He didn't catch me... I fell to the ground and after the gasps, everybody in the room went silent.
Brian felt so bad and was totally embarrassed, but I thought it was pretty funny. People told him to not say anything to me the rest of the night and to just leave me alone. Much to everybody's surprise he did the opposite. He finally started talking to me. He was apologizing frantically, but he was still talking. The apologizing turned into questions like, "Are you ok?" And "Do you need anything?" To me asking deeper questions like, "Why do you exist?" We ended up riding the bus back home together, and we couldn't stop talking.
Maybe it was the drop on my head, maybe it was all the shots, or maybe I actually did just like him, but we ended up talking all night... until five in the morning. I couldn't believe I actually fell for the guy who never said a word, but I did and I'm the happiest I've ever been. Of course, he never asked for my number... but that's a story for a different time.
- K10
Kristen forgot to ask me for my number, so I had to get hers from Jenny. I immediately called and asked her if she wanted to go on a date with me the very next weekend. Surprisingly, she agreed to go out with me.
The week flew by and and it was the weekend before I knew it. I hadn't thought of a single thing to do, but just like our dance I figured I'd wing it and fall hard. Before I arrived, I told her to pack a bag of clothes - an outfit for every occasion. She seemed pretty excited for the imaginary plans I had. I'll never forget that first time I picked her up. She was carrying a bag full of clothes and ready for adventure, but I still had no idea what to do. Luckily, she said, "Which drive-in movie theater are we going to?" I quickly scrambled to find the nearest one... it was in Pennsylvania, but she also happened to have tickets to The Hershey Museum and it worked out perfectly. What was even more perfect was that this meant she wanted to spend the whole day with me. When she sat down in the passenger seat of my truck she yelled, "Road trip!"
For me it was THE best date I had ever been on... except for the part when I almost ran out of gas on the way back because there were no gas stations open after midnight in Pennsylvania. I even suggested getting a motel and she looked at me like I had 4 heads. So besides that part, it was the most memorable road trip of my life because I had never met a girl who loved movies, video games, and Disney as much as I did.
I wasn't able to land the first kiss that night... or the next date... or the next date. ..
- Brian
Brian and I were getting to know and love each other more and more every day. We spent all of our time together and everything was perfect. Then he got accepted to Syracuse University.
It was far away, but not too far. It was only about a six hour drive, and he would come see me at least a couple times a month. It wasn't perfect anymore, but we made it work. I thought to myself, "This is only a year long. We can handle a year." Then he got orders to Okinawa, Japan.Neither of us knew what to do when he got those orders. We both thought for sure he would be stationed back in D.C., but it seems that's the way it always works in the Marine Corps. It's great, until it isn't.
He was gone for 14 months traveling all over Asia. Sometimes we couldn't talk on the phone, but he would manage to send postcards. I don't know how but we made two long years of long distance work. All I can say is...Thank God for Facetime!
-K10
It all happened August 9, 2019, the week after Brian finally came back home from Okinawa. They had scheduled a Disney trip to celebrate Brian's return to the USA and they both just couldn't wait to finally spend a week alone together. Little did Kristen know that Brian had been talking to his parents to help set up his engagement plan months before. That same week he got back, Brian had also asked Kristen's parents for their blessing before they left.
Once they arrived, they checked into their hotel in Animal Kingdom and immediately begin to go on rides. Before dinner which was planned at Cinderella's castle, they headed back to the hotel to change. Brian was so adamant on getting there on time and making sure they were dressed nicely, but Kristen didn't think anything of it because it was Cinderella's castle! Once they showed up for their reservation they took pictures with Cinderella and Prince Charming and then were seated at one of the best tables that viewed the whole kingdom outside. The food was to die for and while Kristen kept eating her food, Brian felt like he was going to throw up. Kristen just assumed he wasn't hungry because they had also eaten 2 hours before, but never the less Kristen finished his food as usual.
Before dessert arrived, Kristen could feel Brian's hands starting to get clammy but she was too excited to get her dessert to even mention it. When the waiter came, he brought out a covered sliver platter in front of her. As soon as he opened it there was a glass slipper surrounded by rose pedals. At first Kristen thought "Is this edible?" But before she could ask, camera flashes went off and Brian was down on one knee with a ring beside her. The whole time Brian was saying his speech, Kristen kept on interrupting him and asking him "Are you serious?!" "Are you joking?!" Once he nodded and she waited till he finished, even though she didn't hear one word of it, she said "YES!" She was the happiest she had ever been and he was just so thankful she didn't say no and embarrassed himself in front of everyone.
One of Kristen's favorite things she loves to tell after it all happened was when a specific family with a little girl came up to them to say their congratulations. The mom told them that when Brian proposed, she whispered in her daughter's ear and told her "Now that is the type of man you should marry."
- Kristen and Brian