Downtown Greenville, SC Engagement (Ken & Stephanie)

[Written by Stephanie]

“‘Ma’am, you have to be 21 to enter the club. We’re going to have to ask you to leave,’ said the host of a Las Vegas club. Ken and I were in Vegas for a NSBE conference in spring 2009 while in college at the University of South Carolina. Since we both were under 21, we had to take the walk of shame back to our hotel while our friends got to party. I thought during the walk home he’d be blown away by my dashing looks and we’d start talking, but he just made sure I made it back safely to my room, before returning to his room.

Fast forward to fall 2016, we spent the entire season tailgating at the USC football games together with mutual friends. Ken and his friends had a spot on the fairgrounds, and my friends and I would always come out to join them. There were many nights we’d all hang out after tailgating, because we didn’t want the fun to end. Once the season was over, he texted me to go to brunch. I thought the invitation was for everyone, but it turned out it was only for me. I remember telling my friends I was going to pay for my own meal because ‘back then they didn’t want me, now I’m hot, they all on me.’ But I had such a good time at brunch, I let him pay…lol. From that moment, we texted every day.  

From skydiving, where I invited myself with his friends, to traveling to Europe a few times, to our annual trips to Savannah, and just binge-watching Netflix, (Will from Lost in Space got on both of our last nerves) – we’ve experienced so many things together over the years.  

In the summer of 2021, he planned a dinner for our parents to meet in August. I thought after dinner when we all stepped outside for the group picture that maybe it was a proposal dinner instead. But when he didn’t get on one knee and no one jumped out of the bushes yelling ‘surprise,’ I knew it was just that – our parents meeting each other. After dinner we went to The Cigar Experience Lounge to continue the night with our parents. When we walked up to the rooftop, I was blown away to see many of our friends and family there as he proposed. Above a whisper, I uttered the word ‘yes’ to spending the rest of our lives together.”