I got engaged at an Art Show!

I am the happiest woman on earth… officially.  My amazing boyfriend of a little over a year and a half proposed to me on Wednesday, August 6th.  We are going to spend our lives together.  Here’s the story:

The Proposal

I had some of my work in the Williamson County Fair’s art show this year.  My painting “Eternal Song”  won Best of Show, and then 1st place in the painting category.  “Maria” won 2nd place.  I was thrilled, and I was invited to an artists’ reception Wednesday night.  Nate and I met at a central location and rode together to the fair.  He had come straight from work and had this bag with him.  He said it was for his change of clothes in case we wanted to do something later, but it really just had my ring box in it.

We get to the main fair building, and he excuses himself to the restroom.  I didn’t think anything of it.  I later found out that he had a guy meet him in the men’s room to hand off the car keys so he could run out to get the ring box and sneak it to the mayor without me knowing what was going on.  So sneaky!  I love it…

After he came out, we went down to the art area.  Everyone was so excited to meet me, and so friendly.  I was thinking, “Wow, these people really should meet artists more often!”  Well, right at 7:00, they say I need to come over to the main stage where a quartet was about to perform for 200-250 people.  They had a high def video crew there to tape the performance.  The officials ask me to come up on the stage, presumably to receive my award money.  I notice that no other artists are up there, but I thought that maybe I was up there because I had won Best of Show.

Anyway, the mayor of Franklin is there and introduces me to everyone, and hands me a check.  Then he hands me another beautifully wrapped box and said that there was another small gift, but he didn’t know what it was.  He wanted me to open it right there because he “wanted to see how his tax dollars were being spent.”  I opened it, and at this point cameras are starting to flash (Nate had gotten several members of the press to come over and document the whole thing).  I opened the box, and the open ring box was in it with a note that said “You are my Sunshine.”  I looked over at where Nate was supposed to be waiting for me off-stage, but now he was now getting on one knee with a microphone in his hand…

“Will you marry me?”

(Later, he gave me the whole thing he was planning to say, but was too nervous once he got up there – it was the sweetest thing ever.)

The Reaction

I was crying already, and I said “YES” but no words came out at all – we just both were crying and hugging.  People were clapping and congratulating, and the camera crew caught every bit of it.

Later, the Williamson County AM wrote an article on us, and we appeared on Channel 4 news several times the next day.  I knew Nate would be creative and that his proposal would be a complete surprise.  I love him so much, and this is just the beginning of what I know will be a lifetime of loving him.

God has purposed us for each other, and I look forward to honoring God in our marriage.  When is the date, you ask?

The Date

October 26th, 2008!

The Ring and Our Wedding Website

We’ve created a wedding website, complete with details, photos of us and my ring, and a way to download the newspaper article on us.  Check it out now!

Tagged as: art show, Kelly O'Neill, married, Nate Bailey, proposal, Williamson County Fair