Christy and I met each other because of our mutual love of the Dave Matthews Band. Like most fans, we connected randomly via social media even though I lived in Massachusetts and she lived in Wisconsin. In December of 2016, I saw Christy post a video of herself singing a DMB cover and something about her really stood out to me. I decided to send her a message about how I loved her voice and gave her some advice on some other groups/platforms to share her music. We ended up having an immediate connection and talking almost all day, everyday. Sending each other different YouTube videos of it favorite DMB performances or just anything we could think of to keep the conversation going. We just really enjoyed each other’s company without even actually meeting yet.
In late January, I was about to go see Dave and Tim in Texas. The week before while I was talking to Christy, I asked her if she thought I would be crazy if I changed my flight and visited her in Chicago before I went to Texas. She basically laughed it off and said well that would be great but you wouldn’t do that. Clearly at this time, Christy didn’t know me enough to know I was actually this crazy (in a good way). Next thing Christy saw was a screen shot of my flight to Chicago, booked just to see her. Christy was very surprised but then she also got nervous behind the scenes. She reached out to her mom and said mom I really like this guy but I don’t even know him well so I think I should back out. Christy’s mom (Gail) told her that she shouldn’t back out because she had a really good feeling about me.
Christy and I ended up spending two days together and it was like we had known each other our whole lives. I then flew to Texas to meet my best friend Erica. As soon as I told Erica about it (and FaceTimed Christy during both Dave and Tim shows) Erica said, “oh man you’re in trouble, you’re in love.” She definitely wasn’t wrong.
When I got back from Texas I remember texting my friend Grant. Grant is now married to an awesome woman named Renee. Before they were married I remembered him telling me she was the one right after they met. So I text him and asked him what he felt after he met Renee because that’s what I felt about Christy. I knew she was the one.
Fast forward to many flights to seeing each other and her moving to be with me to the Spring of 2018. I started to put a plan in motion to propose to Christy at the gorge.
Once I got the ring and it started to become real, I couldn’t contain my excitement. Anyone that knows me, knows I’m bad at keeping secrets/surprises. After texting a lot of my friends, I would then delete the text messages so Christy wouldn’t see. One night when Christy and I were at a concert, I accidentally left a text message on my phone open after a little too much drinking. Christy had an old phone at the time so we would always take pictures on my phone and she would take my phone the next day and edit them and send them to herself. Unknowingly to me, Christy opened my phone to a text message saying I was going to propose to her at the gorge. She was immediately so excited yet so sad she spoiled the news for herself.
Christy decided to text our friend Abbye to vent. Abbye wasn’t going to the gorge so christy decided to talk to her about it rather than any of our friends going, so they wouldn’t let me know that she had found out. A week later I finally picked up the engagement ring and I was so excited. I sent the picture to a few friends, including Abbye. Abbye text me back saying how pretty it was but she told me the bad news that Christy had found out about the proposal.
I was so upset, I called my friends and Christy’s mom freaking out. I told them I wasn’t doing it at the gorge anymore because it wouldn’t be the same without it being a surprise.
After a few days of clearing my head, I came up with a plan. I started scripting a fake text message dialogue that would be between Abbye and I. I talked to Abbye and she luckily got on board with my plan. The fake conversation started by Abbye pretending to tell me she was going to try and make the gorge and asked for my help. She then said that since I was going to propose to Christy, she really wanted to be there.
This is the part that made Christy hate me for 6 weeks...I responded to Abbye saying that I just had a little to much to drink that night and made up the proposal to try to get her and Austin to come to the gorge and I forgot to tell her I was joking.
Abbye went on to be fake mad at me in the text convo and then screen shot the fake text convo between us and sent it to Christy. Christy was obviously shattered and immediately called Erica bawling her eyes out. She said she felt so stupid because she already bought a dress for it and was so excited. So Erica and I came up with a plan to say we would all go to the winery one day at the gorge and all dress up, so Christy would still be wearing the dress for the proposal.
Christy went on to promise Erica and Abbye that she wouldn’t tell me she knew that this all happened. Fast forward to two days later in my truck, Christy turns the radio down and says we have to talk. Immediately, being the stubborn guy I am, turned the radio back up and said no we don’t! Christy went on to tell me she knew it all happened and that I was a jerk for lying to my friends and for getting her hopes up. I had to play it off like I was a jerk and didn’t think it was a big deal, because I’m a terrible liar and I didn’t give it away yet again. So needless to say, Christy wasn’t very happy with me for the last 6 weeks heading up to gorge.
A week before the gorge my friend Kevin came over. I asked him to do me a big favor and carry the ring with him to gorge. I had thought about it and realized that airport security might search my bag so I didn’t want to take the chance. Kevin gladly accepted his role as Samwise Gamgee and took the ring for me and kept it safe.
Fast forward to our last day in Bend, OR before we drive to gorge. Kevin couldn’t get the time off for the full Bend trip so he was supposed to fly there that night. His connecting flight in San Francisco got delayed and he missed his flight and couldn’t make it to Bend that night. All the early flights the next day were booked up and Kevin almost didn’t make it. Luckily they fit him in on an 8am flight and our plan was back on track. But days later all my friends reminded me that KEVIN HAD THE RING AND ALMOST DID NOT MAKE IT! All the while I was busy looking for flights to get him to us, I forgot he even had the ring! Luckily for me I didn’t even process this or I would’ve been freaking out. But it all ended up making this for a better story.
Saturday at the gorge was my planned day to propose. We all got up that morning and got dressed up and headed to the winery. Christy mentioned that it was cold the night before and didn’t want to wear the dress at the concert. Luckily at the winery, she got a million compliments on the dress so I told her we had to stick to the plan to take nice pictures on the top of the hill. When we got back to the camp, our plan was to eat and head to the venue for pictures on the hill. Of course, Christy then bites into her hamburger and a big glob of ketchup came plopping down onto her beautiful white dress. Now she really said she wasn’t wearing the dress. Unfortunately I had to step in and be stern with her about wearing the dress for pictures, because I knew she would be so upset if she went up there and I proposed to her and she wasn’t wearing it. She bought the dress for that moment so I had to make sure she was in it. After being mad at me about it, I said just bring a change of clothes and we will take a couple quick pictures and she could change. Luckily she obliged.
We started our walk to the gorge. Erica now carried the ring, like Frodo on his way to mount doom. She took me aside and said she was nervous they would search her and Christy would see the ring, so I told her I’d create a distraction. As we got in line for security, I let Erica go ahead and then I stopped christy and said I think I forgot my tickets. I stood there for a minutes pretending to search my stuff until Erica got through and then said oops they’re in my wallet, and we continued on.
At the top of the hill I was wicked nervous. I had the ring in my cargo shorts pocket. The plan was to have Christy and Erica take their traditional picture of their backs facing the camera and their faces looking into the distance and I would get behind Christy on one knee. They went for their pose and I couldn’t the stupid box out of my pocket and panicked. By the time I got it out, I didn’t realize I had the box backwards but hey, it just makes for a better story. Christy turned around and her face said it all. The rest is history. We ended up getting a setlist that night and a used Carter drum stick the next.
Thank you to everyone that was a part of this journey. This would’ve never happened if it wasn’t for YOU. From my friends pushing me to go see Christy when I hadn’t even met her yet. To the friends helping me pull off the almost impossible proposal after it was pretty much ruined. Everyone has their own path in life and mine wouldn’t have led me to Christy if it was for the people that help lead me down it. SO MUCH had to fall into place for us to even meet, never mind pull this proposal off. I am so thankful, you have no idea. I love you all.
-Andy
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