Rain Doesn’t Dampen This Surprise Proposal
As you know by now, we LOVE love at J.F. Kruse! We are overjoyed when we get to be involved in special people’s unique love stories. Today, we have the privilege of sharing one of these stories with you.
Meet Mark and Jessica, a young professional couple who began dating in high school right here in St. Cloud. As Jess tells us, “I never imagined that the love of my life was sitting across the room from me in Fred Rupp's AP Biology class.”
The couple participated in Les Voyageurs in high school. “The experience instilled a selfless approach to relationships, which resonated deeply with both of us,” explains Jess. “Building the foundation of our relationship on putting each other first has driven us to create a spontaneous and compassionate love.”
We can see the genuine admiration you have for one another. What are some things you appreciate about each other?
Mark - I appreciate Jess' overall enthusiasm for life. She is one of the most selfless and emotionally intelligent people I have ever met, and her optimistic desire to enjoy life every day, provides more laughter and happiness than I had ever thought possible in a relationship.
Jessica - Right away I was hooked by his open mind and light-hearted sense of humor. Mark makes me laugh every single day. He is the person that I always want to experience everything with. I admire his desire to push himself and those that he loves to better themselves in many ways.
“We have found, in each other, an everlasting best-friend for all of life's stages.” -Mark
Mark, what can you tell us about your proposal?
Jess and I had talked about getting married, but we had always viewed it as a far-off agenda. After about 8 years, I started to seriously think about the idea and that I wanted to propose before she had even an inkling of what I was up to. I mentioned to Jess that I had won some tickets through work to go to a play at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. I picked the Guthrie was because it was in short proximity to the Stone Arch pedestrian bridge, one of Jess’ favorite places on Earth.
Meanwhile, I used a couple of my visits to St. Cloud to visit Melissa at J.F. Kruse, and began formalizing my plan. After about three months of planning and secrecy, proposal day arrived. That morning I casually brought up the idea of taking a walk and grabbing dinner prior to the play, and Jess suggested a restaurant—which happened to be the one I’d already made a reservation large enough for both of our families to join us after the proposal. The proposal was set—rain or shine—for 6:00 pm that evening.
Of course, it rained. And with every raindrop, I became more unnerved. After a 20-minute drive to our destination with the windshield wipers on full speed, the rain let up as we found our parking spot.
Unbeknown to her, I had also planned to have a photographer friend waiting at the bridge entrance. As we walked onto the bridge, I noticed my friend pretending to take photos of flowers. We had hit our timing perfectly! I was astonished to see one of the most popular walking destinations in Minneapolis completely barren, and I began to realize how much of a blessing the rain was in letting us have our moment in privacy. With the Minneapolis skyline in the background, I got down on one knee. Seeing the sheer surprise in Jess' reaction was so gratifying. It was the happiest day of my life.
Jessica, what were your thoughts at that moment?
I have never been more surprised than I was on the night Mark proposed! Mark really wanted to take a walk on the Stone Arch bridge, which was a little out of the ordinary because it was literally the rainiest day of the year. Yet he knew that I would never turn down a walk on the bridge, even in the rain. The Stone Arch bridge is special to us because we spent a lot of time there when we went to the U of M. It's also the most spectacular view of the city! So, when we stopped to take in the view as the rain cleared, I still had no clue what was about to happen.
It wasn't until I turned around to face him, saw a little red box, a slightly trembling hand, a photographer capturing the moment from a distance, and the look on his face, that I realized it was shaping up to be the best night of my life. When Mark asked me to marry him it was the easiest question I've ever answered. I always knew that we were on the same page about getting married someday, but I had no sense of when it would happen. It was truly the most amazing moment that I could ever imagine!
And then there’s the ring! Mark, how did you select Jessica’s stunning ring?
When I started looking for a ring, I wanted something that matched Jess' style—timelessly beautiful. I also wanted to find a jeweler in St. Cloud since both of us had grown up there and my parents are active in the community. I’d heard good things about J.F. Kruse. After looking at different styles, I liked the semi-halo ring that wrapped around a prominent center stone. I knew this would be a bit louder than Jess' normal taste in jewelry, but I wanted to find something that would blow her away!
While looking at options, Melissa personally sat down with me and made sure I had all the information I needed to make such a large decision. I appreciate how everything at J.F. Kruse was transparent, and how Melissa took the time to answer even the smallest questions I had in the most exemplary way I could imagine. It was a fantastic customer service experience, and I would recommend J.F. Kruse to anyone who asks.
Any details you’d like to share about your upcoming nuptials?
We want to have a long engagement to enjoy this time together as fiancees. We don't have a date set, but are thinking 2019, either a spring or fall wedding. Perhaps a weekend getaway in cabin country with boating, swimming, and golfing, or maybe a city wedding in Minneapolis with fun activities for our family and friends. The options are endless, and we couldn't be more excited to start planning!
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At J. F. Kruse Jewelers, we are thrilled to be a part of Jess and Mark’s engagement and their happily ever after!
When It’s Forever - J. F. Kruse Fine and Custom Jewelers
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