Hi friends! It’s Courtney (Melissa’s daughter) sharing some exciting news. Many of you have followed The Inspired Room for years and have also connected with me on Instagram. I’m thrilled to share a big life update: I’m engaged!
There’s a lot I could say about the nearly three years leading up to this, but today I’ll tell the story of the day we got engaged.
(You can watch a short behind-the-scenes video of the proposal on YouTube.)
UPDATE! I wrote a new post about our wedding with photos, details, and planning advice. Click to read the full wedding post for more.
I stayed at my family’s house Friday night to get some work done. On Saturday morning, my boyfriend Dong planned to pick me up for brunch and a pumpkin patch visit in Coupeville, about an hour away. Since rain was forecast, I wore my coziest sweater, a raincoat, and hiking boots. Dong arrived, chatted with my family, and as we headed out I reminded my parents I’d return later that night because I was leaving my car there.
We drove across the Deception Pass Bridge — I filmed the view and captioned it “going on an adventure!”. We’ve taken many day trips over the years, and that morning we ordered brunch to-go from a new spot near the ferry, then walked by the water while waiting. It was extremely windy.
After brunch we visited the pumpkin patch, which turned out to be smaller than we expected. We snapped some photos, looked at a few pumpkins (and some cows), then decided to explore more of the area.
Next, we visited Price Sculpture Forest. We entered under the arch that reads “Wander in Wonder,” walked the trail hand in hand, and enjoyed the smells and art of the forest. After finishing the loop, Dong mentioned a nearby park to visit before heading to dinner in Oak Harbor.
We arrived at Driftwood Park around 3:00 and walked along the beach. It had been raining on and off with strong wind all day, but when we got there the sky cleared and the water gleamed a beautiful blue-green. I stopped to take a video and we continued along the rocky shoreline.
At one point, Dong pointed to seaweed and asked our silly little question we often joke about—“is that yours?”—a small game we play on walks. Then he pointed to something more unusual tucked in driftwood: a large glass bottle with a cork. I picked it up, and he urged me to look inside.
Inside the bottle was a scroll tied with twine. My hands were shaking as I opened it and read the sweetest words he had written. Then Dong knelt and asked, “Courtney Lane Michaels, will you marry me?”
I said yes immediately, hugged him, kissed him, and felt an overwhelming sense of joy and peace amid the surprise.
I noticed someone taking photos; I waved and then realized the photographer was my sister Kylee, whom I believed to be in Portland that day. We walked toward a charming shingled house on the beach and heard cheering from the deck.
I was stunned to see so many loved ones gathered to celebrate: my parents and grandparents (who I’d seen that morning and who had known all along), my brother from Seattle, my childhood best friend Emily with her husband Devin and their baby, and my college roommate Jane. It meant so much to have them there — the most surprised I’ve ever been.
They had been hiding inside the house, filming our moment. I’m so grateful it was documented — you can see some of their behind-the-scenes footage in the video.
We went inside the adorable Airbnb Dong had rented, which was decorated for the occasion. I was handed a phone to FaceTime other friends and family, and as conversations unfolded I learned how much planning went into making the day a surprise.
There had been months of planning: group texts I didn’t know about, people canceling plans or pretending to be elsewhere, my dad hiding the bottle on the beach, and other clever preparations. It was fun to piece everything together.
I discovered Dong had carried a sign tucked in his raincoat and the ring box under his arm the entire day — true proposal planning dedication.
My friends created a festive fall charcuterie board, which made me especially happy since fall is my favorite season. The day felt filled with love and gratitude — something we’ll always remember.
There’s a meaningful story behind my ring. The diamond in my solitaire ring belonged to Dong’s mother. Before she left Vietnam during the war, her mother (Dong’s grandmother) gave her family diamonds and jewelry from their jewelry business, saying, “take this to start a new life.” She brought those diamonds to the US, and one of them was reset for my ring. Dong used my Pinterest for inspiration when choosing a branch-style setting. I love the ring and the family history it represents.
The week after the engagement we visited Dong’s family and looked through albums; one photo shows his grandmother on her only visit to the US — a very special connection to my ring.
There’s more to share about our time together before and after the proposal, but for now that’s the story of how we got engaged.
You can watch a short behind-the-scenes video of the proposal on YouTube.
Follow me on Instagram where I’ve shared more photos and answered questions in my story highlights. I’ll likely share parts of the wedding planning process, so I’d love for you to follow along.
I’m deeply grateful for the kind messages and support from so many of you. Thank you for following our family — we’ve loved sharing this joyful moment and look forward to sharing more in the months ahead.
Watch the proposal video on YouTube
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UPDATE! I wrote a new post about our wedding with photos, details, and planning advice. Click to read the wedding post for more.
You can follow our family on Instagram:
The Inspired Room // Courtney // Kylee // Dwell Well Collective // Jack the Goldendoodle // Doodles at Home