The start of a new year often brings new beginnings, and this holds especially true for us. As Jane Austin wrote in Pride and Prejudice, “A lady’s imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.”

Our life changing odyssey began on January 1st of 2024. We talked throughout the next few nights and often into the early morning with conversations that never strained. Our first date of Blue Cow ice cream then a nice dinner embodies the both of us so well. And like two little love birds, we’ve been inseparable since that night. The truth is our story has been like a never-ending dream. Not a single friend or family member who saw us together asked if we were moving too fast or voiced that maybe we should take things slow. It was obvious to the world that we finally found our soulmate, our other half, and our partner for life.

We could write about our many weekend adventures, trips to new cities, the baseball stadiums we’ve seen, the celebrations, the many hikes, the challenging runs, the endless puns and even the story behind how our wedding came together. Those tales are well worth the time. However, we’ll keep this on point and fast forward to the first weekend in November 2024.

The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina captivated us from our first visit. The grounds have a natural romantic allure that makes it the perfect place for a wedding proposal. I had the ring and the place. I simply needed the right time.

Earlier that fall Asheville, North Carolina was severely damaged by a catastrophic flood. The Biltmore also received damage and closed for a period to rebuild and clean up. All of this occurred after the proposal plan was created.

In Biltmore Village there is an old stable on the grounds that doubles as a wedding venue. When we visited the estate earlier that spring the stable was being set up for that exact purpose. We walked through the stable doors and under the old wooden beams just to get a glimpse of what the venue could possibly hold. Wren walked further inside while I stood and watched her as she took in the romantic vibes. When Wren turned around to face me, she smiled. There was something in that moment that clicked for us—we are getting married. We didn’t say it aloud, but months later we told each other that this moment was when we knew.

I wanted to recreate that same experience for Wren but there was a slight problem. Because of the flood it was impossible to know if the stable had been damaged. The Biltmore reopened the first weekend of November and under the guise of visiting to help support one of our favorite destinations, we headed out. To my relief the stable and its’ surrounding area wasn’t damaged. The proposal was still on.

After an amazing dinner at the Inn we headed into the Village for a walk around 10pm. Christmas music was playing from hidden speakers, the paths illuminated with perfect lighting, and best of all, we had the place to ourselves. We walked up to the stable and set our things down.

The stable itself was locked but that created no problem. There is a well-kept grassy area in front of the stable that was my real target. We walked hand in hand to that spot and with one knee on the ground I proposed. After an initial response of, “Are you sure?!” Wren did say yes. We spent the next hour dancing (and taking pictures) to Christmas music in that little grassy area by the stable.