He liked it... so he put a ring on it!

Growing up I never was one of those girls who played "wedding" or had colors, wedding dresses, venues or table settings picked out before I graduated high school. Although yes I liked the concept of having a boyfriend and then someday getting married and having kids, I never thought too much about it. I was very focused on going to college, getting my masters and becoming a business tycoon. I remember at one point my dad told me that I could pick between him paying for my college education at SCU or paying for a wedding someday. Without hesitation I picked college. I mean, who knew if I would get married? I did know I could get a degree.

After college I decided that I was ready for a serious boyfriend. Don't get me wrong, the single life was fun and all... but I was finally ready to be vulnerable and let someone in. It was when I decided this that I met Val. (If you want to hear our story, check out www.danielleandval.com and click on "Our Story.") Before we got engaged we had been dating for 5 years. Like any couple, we had our ups and downs, but I had a feeling that he was the one. I don't really know how to explain it... I just knew I couldn't picture my future without him. I mean, when things got rough every now and then I had my doubts like any sensible person. But there was something about our chemistry and how we meshed so well together that I couldn't shake.

Long story short, after dealing with some serious committment issues (what guy hasn't had to deal with those?) he finally figured it out and knew he couldn't picture his life without me either. It's funny because I kind of knew when the lightbulb went off for him. He had always been such an awesome guy, but now it was different. He just seemed so "in love." We had had several talks about marriage and goals and the timeline I had in mind. I didn't know exactly when he was going to propose, but I knew that he would and that was enough peace of mind for me to wait it out. (If you want to hear about the engagement--or better yet, watch it--please check out www.danielleandval.com and click on "Our Engagement.")

The whole engagement was a blur and very surreal. For the first week I had to keep waking up in the morning and looking at my bedstand to see if the ring was still there. Silly, I know, but it really was a dream come true. I am so excited to marry my best friend. :-D