Southern Weddings

If you follow me or Southern Weddings on Instagram, you may have already heard the news I’m so excited to share today: I’m engaged! My sweet now-fiancé, Dave Kirk, asked me to marry him about three weeks ago (at the V6 launch party, no less!) and I still can’t believe that we’re really getting married!

Before I share my side of the story with y’all, I’ll let Emily fill you in on some of the back story!

Mercy, y’all!! We couldn’t be more excited for Lisa and Dave, especially because we had a small part in the plans! Dave approached Lara about two weeks before V6’s release to see if it might be okay if he proposed at the party. (So considerate — he wanted to make sure he didn’t overshadow V6! Well, he probably did, but we were totally fine with it!) He also asked for our input on his plans, which set off a flurry of excited inter-office emails — including everyone but Lisa, of course.

I turned out to be the main go-between for Dave and our office, and let me tell you — I got nervous sweats every time an email from him would pop into my inbox. As many of y’all know from our office tour, Lisa and I sit next to each other, and I was so worried she’d see the email subject on my screen! We did manage to assist Dave in making some special arrangements with Heidi and the band, and then all that was left to do was bite our lips and sit tight until the big day!

Here are a few pictures that my dear friend Callie Pitts, of Nancy Ray Photography, captured of the big moment. Dave and I are going to cherish these forever!

Just looking at these pictures makes my heart skip a beat all over again! Long story short, Dave pulled me out of the launch party shortly after the speeches so I could read a letter from my mom in private. I protested, but when he insisted, I was almost sure my parents were going to be around the corner! They weren’t, and after going into a little room and saying a quick hi to Callie, who was rummaging in some bags at the entrance, Dave sat me on the couch and pulled out the letter. Rather than the congratulations-on-the-magazine letter I was expecting, the letter was a response to a promise my seven-year-old self made with my mom: that I would never accept a proposal until I knew if it was okay with her. I only made it through the first line of the letter! I was completely shocked, and before I knew it, Dave had me stand up, told me the most beautiful things, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him!

I wasn’t sure what to do going back into the party afterwards–should we go call our parents first? Should I take the ring off for the rest of the party? Dave told me to just leave the ring on and “see who notices,” which I thought was a strange plan, but I went with it. As soon as we walked back into the party, Lara grabbed the microphone and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I have a surprise for you…Lisa and Dave just got engaged!” I couldn’t believe they already knew! With that, she invited us up to the front for a dance, and the band played mine and Dave’s song. It’s not a conventional couple’s song, but it has followed us around the country–we’ve danced to this song everywhere from honky-tonk bars in Austin to Irish pubs in Syracuse, and since it’s about going to North Carolina, it couldn’t be more fitting for us: Wagon Wheel. And then there was confetti!! You can see all of this on the party’s live stream here.

The picture above in the confetti is one of my favorites–it’s on my bulletin board at work. :)

One thing that was important to Dave was that even though we wouldn’t be able to celebrate with either of our families right away, he wanted us to be able to relish in the initial excitement with at least a few loved ones. I was so truly touched by the sweet reactions of everyone at the party, but especially the Southern Weddings girls. They’re the best, and I can’t believe they kept everything a secret from me!

Dave and I have just barely started making wedding plans, but so far, we are thinking May 2015, and the “great Kirk wedding venue hunt,” as we’ve been calling it, starts next weekend! I will be sharing bits and pieces of my own wedding planning journey starting in the new year, but if you can’t wait that long, you can find Emily’s wedding planning series here–it has already been invaluable to me!

Thank you so, SO much to all of the wonderful people who celebrated with us at the launch party, as well as via the live stream, and everyone who has congratulated us on social media. Dave and I are overjoyed to be engaged and can already hardly wait to be married! :)

Written with love by Lisa