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In the Beginning: Proposal at a Folk Festival
Written by Lena Sack Thursday, 17 June 2010 13:59
A mutual friend introduced me to my future fiancée, all the time warning me that we wouldn't be a good match. Mike knew from the first conversation that I was what he was 
looking for. I, as I usually do, required a little more convincing.
Fast forward now--two years. We were camping in the beautiful wilderness of Sterling, NY with friends, as well as a couple hundred of the strangest strangers you'll ever meet. It was at a folk music festival in the woods, that my love announced, in front of crowds at the main stage, that he wanted me as his partner in crime for good.
I realized then that no matter how much you prepare yourself for that moment, dream about it and play it out in your mind, you never know how you'll react. As the applause grew all around us, I got light headed and started blacking out, much like the drunken sensation one gets after standing up too quickly. From his kneeling position, Mike grabbed me as I fell backwards. Then, in a humiliating act of anxiety, I grabbed the ring, still unsure that this was a real proposal. I didn't let him slide the gorgeous creation onto my finger until we returned to camp. There, we were greeted by our camp-mates with a bottle of Champagne and squeals of delight. Needless to say, they were in on the surprise.
I later found out the droves of people that made that one extremely special moment possible. From Mike's buddy at work that actually helped him hand pick and design the ring, to our camping buddies that made sure our weekend was flawless. It is truly amazing how much effort went into that spectacular moment. Months of preparation and planning, all while trying to keep a very nosey girlfriend at bay.
I must admit, I'm still digesting the whole engagement. We've been engaged for about a year now, and I still have a hard time using the "F" word: Fiancée. Yet with a year under our collective belt, we're still staring down the barrel of another year before the big day. August 6, 2011 is our goal. It's a daunting task, planning a wedding. The very thought of it sends shivers down my spine. The thought of being married to Mike is something from a dream, but the getting married part is something we are still sorting out. We are neither traditional nor conservative by any means. Striking a deal between what our loved ones expect and what we are hoping for has been a real conundrum.
Sterling Forest photos above by Karl McWherter
I've realized in the early stages of planning this wedding that the wedding itself, no matter how I try to convince myself otherwise, is for those around us; the friends and family who have watched and often nurtured this wonderful relationship into being. Each little bit of tradition that sneaks its way into my wedding becomes more than simply tradition when I see how much it means to the people involved. When I see how proud my mother is of the ring bearer pillow she made, I know how important it is to her that I give her that opportunity.
Obviously, all decisions are ultimately mine and Mike's to make, but by not being too stubborn about my unique and untraditional vision I have for my wedding, I can allow so many more people to be an intimate and important role in our big day.
Lena M. Sack is a 25 year old student of life currently working her way through Massage Therapy School. By day an Executive Assistant for a magnet company, by night,
writer and artist, Lena's latest mission is planning a dream wedding with her wonderful fiancée, Michael. (Headshot by Jen Kiaba.)
Comments (3)
I'm so proud of you Lena, and I deny ever telling you it wouldn't work out. Just that you both had allot of skeletons to battle before getting involved. so wonderful that you to had each other to do that. who knew!
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