On Sunday, June 8, 2008 I asked Michelle to marry me. She eventually said yes. First, she said, “Seriously?!”

We’ve been dating for five years and nine months. For the past couple of years I would ask her to marry me on a daily basis. Her response was either, “Not until you ask for real,” or “Not until you get me a ring.” So there was really only one thing to do: find a ring. Ever since we saw Blood Diamond, Michelle has been adamantly against wearing diamonds. I decided to buy a ring without a stone. It’s untraditional, but neither of us are the traditional type. While searching for an alternative style of rings, I came across titanium rings with wood inlays. Michelle and I both fell in love with the rings. I bought the ring to the right, a titanium ring with a Brazilian Cherry wood inlay. I’ll get a matching one for my wedding band.

So far we have decided the following for our wedding:

• It will more than likely be by the end of the year.
• It will be in the Hiawassee area.
• It will be small.
  • Immediate family only.
  • Sorry extended family, but we have enough reunions.
  • More people means more money (see the next bullet).
• It will be very inexpensive.
  • We currently have no debt, and we want to keep it that way.
  • There’s no point in starting a life together in debt if you don’t have to.
  • There’s no point in going into debt all because of one day.
  • If you would like to donate to the wedding fund, feel free to do so. Since we’ve been living together for a couple of years, we own everything that would normally be on a wedding registry.
• We’ll have a cookout afterwards instead of a traditional reception.
  • We don’t like parties.
  • Receptions are expensive (see bullet #4).
  • Everyone likes food cooked on a grill.

That’s all that has been decided so far. Stay tuned for more updates.