Stories from our clients: Abel and Reema engagement in Gantry Plaza State Park

How we met

Abel and I were set up by a mutual friend, Priscilla. Priscilla had met Abel at her cousin’s engagement. Abel was actually the groom’s brother. Priscilla and her cousin Lisa thought we would be a good fit for each other and decided to set us up. Pri showed me pictures and I thought he was cute so I told her Abel could reach out if he’s interested. A day later Pri said that he had my number and he would reach out.

A week had passed and I still hadn’t heard anything so I just assumed he wasn’t interested. That Friday I got a text from a “203” number and it said; “Hi! I’m Abel. I’m from CT. Got your number from a mutual friend. Said you were someone I should say hi to :).” At that moment, I remember, I did two things. One, I screen-shotted the message and send it to my girls Merin and Grace. Two, I put my phone down for a minute and prayed. I asked God for wisdom and discernment and that if this wasn’t His will for my life, I didn’t want it and if this was it for it to all go well and for my heart to know and be at peace.

A couple of days later we talked on the phone and then a few days after that we face-timed. (We’ve talked nonstop since then.) Two weeks after that initial conversation, Abel said he was going to fly down to FL to see me in person. At first, we thought we wouldn’t involve our parents yet but then Abel said he wanted to be intentional and saw a future with me; so he wanted to do things the right way. Long story short we told our parents about each other and I told my dad that there’s this guy coming to see me and I’m bringing him home so be nice! I bought Abel home that day and my parents loved him and my brother and he got along so well. I knew then this was it. I had found my forever love. Although if you ask Abel; he’ll say he knew day 1.

Abel came into my life when I had kinda given up on love and for anybody that knows me that’s huge, because of l love “love.” The first week or two I was so skeptical because all of it seemed too good to be true. In all honesty, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop with Abel, like what’s the catch. I can safely say now, months later I’ve completely fallen for him with no reservations.

How he asked

We had originally planned a trip in march for me to fly up with my friend Merin to meet his family and friends but because of Covid we had to cancel the last minute. Abel was able to come a couple of times to Florida and had the chance to meet my family/friends and at Asher’s wedding (Abel’s brother) I was able to meet his family. I still hadn’t flown up to CT/NY to meet his friends or go to his house. So we planned this trip to meet and hang out with his friends and see his parents in CT.

I flew into Philly with my brother and two of our close friends where Asher and Lisa picked us up and we had Philly cheesesteaks that were “oh so good” and then they dropped us off in NY and headed to CT where we would meet them later. Also, side note; the whole time I was thinking we were going to be surprising our friend Grace but little did I know that I was the pawn in this whole game. Long story short, what was meant to be happy hour with our friends by the water turned into the proposal of my dreams.

As we walked up to the water/skyline as Abel held my hand I couldn’t help but think how good and faithful God has been to me, so when he got down on one knee and said that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me I couldn’t help but say yes even before he could say the words, “will you marry me?” Abel did such an incredible job planning the whole thing down to the smallest detail. His sister Ashley did a phenomenal job putting all the pieces together both at the gantry and at their house afterward.

After Abel had proposed, on our way to CT to see his parents and where we were all to have dinner after, I wanted to FaceTime my parents and he wouldn’t let me. He said just wait till we get home and my parents can be there too while we FaceTime them. One of my favorite/biggest surprises was just yet to come. My parents were waiting for me at Abels’s house. Abel had them fly out a few hours after my flight so they could be there after the proposal. Easily one of the best days of my life.