Laura was unsure of where she was. All the ups and downs, lefts and rights, gravel paths, rocky terrains and near-grass walkways completely threw her off. JC guided her through all the twists and turns, never leaving her side, and telling her to trust him. Many people admired and cheered on the romantic gesture as they made their way to the magical spot - the inside of a gazebo overlooking the beautiful Italian-style Vizcaya gardens. When the blindfold finally came off, Laura slowly stared out into the gardens, which were lit by glowing adornments and the remnants of sunlight piercing through the last slivers of twilight. She noticed several bystanders peering up at her and was puzzled. Who are these people? Where am I? Is this an impromptu Toastmasters speech? All these questions raced through her mind. She wondered if she had ever been there before as her gaze spanned the panorama. Meanwhile, JC impatiently waited for the magical moment when his love would finally turn around and be welcomed by the biggest surprise of her life. To speed up the process, which seemed like an eternity in JC's mind, he tapped Laura on the shoulder, took a step back, prepared the ring, and got down on one knee.

 

When Laura turned around, JC said: "Laura, my love, my corresponding puzzle piece and best friend. I love you so much that words cannot begin to describe how my heart beats for you. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on and the most amazing person I've ever met. You support me, accept my craziness, inspire me to be a better person everyday and love me unconditionally. With you by my side, I have no doubts, no regrets and no fears. My nose-blinking, green-loving, table topics winning, long distance running, beach loving, tap dancing, yoga posing dream of a woman, will you make me the happiest man in this world? Will you marry me? "

 

Laura was in complete and utter shock. Overwhelming joy and excitement enveloped her. The sight of the radiant engagement ring with a brilliant round cut diamond, organic pierced curl and leaf designs and eight bright green emeralds, and what it all meant, left her speechless. Tears of joy ran down her face as JC awaited her affirmation. She could barely get the words out but managed to voice a soft and barely-audible YES! She said YES! The two kissed fervently and hugged each other with unbounded emotion. Laura let out various shouts of joy, stared back at her gorgeous ring numerous times and ogled her loving fiancé. "I have a fiancé! We're getting married! I love secret weekend!!!!" she shouted emphatically. JC then revealed the next part of the surprise. He showed her that his friends Camilo and Karina were hidden and taking pictures and video footage of the entire event. They even had a GoPro camera mounted on one of the gazebo pillars. Laura felt a second wave of joy and more tears of happiness streamed down her face. Camilo and Karina came out to hug and congratulate the newly engaged couple who were treasuring every moment of this experience. The photographer friends then proceeded to shoot Laura and JC's engagement pictures in this breathtaking venue. Afterwards, everyone headed to Monty’s for celebratory food and drinks. Phone calls were placed to the couples' parents and Jen - Laura's sister. The last part of the surprise was a night at the Hilton Bentley Hotel in SoBe. The next morning the couple had an amazing run to the South Pointe Park jetty - Laura's favorite place in Miami - followed by trip to the Big Pink for a delicious breakfast. 

 

JC decided to propose at the lovely Vizcaya Museum and Gardens because Laura had loved the place when they visited for their one-year anniversary. He also chose the venue because the Italian style paid tribute to Laura's heritage, the gardens catered to her love of green and nature, and the location's beautiful Venice-like marina spoke to her love of the beach and ocean.  The specific date of the proposal was very special because the digits of 3/28 (3, 2, 8) add up to thirteen - her favorite number - making the date 13/13.  Vizcaya only open its doors to visitors in the evening hours twice per month. It's an event they call Moonlight Garden Tours. JC wanted to make this occasion extra special by proposing on one of those dates and planned everything accordingly. He got his best friend Camilo to visit the site with him a month earlier during one of the February moonlight tours to find the perfect spot and time of day to capture the magic in the best light possible. After many hours of analyzing locations and being confused for a gay couple, JC decided on a gazebo overlooking the gardens and set the plans in motion. The rest is history. 

 

Oh yeah, and JC did ask Laura's father for his blessing a few weeks before the proposal!