Hi friends! I’m Courtney (Melissa’s daughter) and I’m excited to share a big life update: I’m engaged! Many of you have followed The Inspired Room for years and some of you follow me on Instagram—thank you for your support. I want to tell the story of the day he proposed.
If you prefer video, I also shared a short behind-the-scenes clip from the proposal you can watch on YouTube.
UPDATE! I wrote a new post about our wedding plans with photos, details, and budgeting tips. Check it out on The Inspired Room for more.
I had stayed at my family’s house the night before to work, and Dong planned to pick me up Saturday morning for brunch and a trip to a pumpkin patch in Coupeville. Rain was in the forecast, so I dressed in a cozy sweater, raincoat, and hiking boots expecting mud. Dong arrived, chatted with my family for a bit, and we left—I reminded my parents I’d be back later that night since I left my car at home.
We crossed the Deception Pass Bridge and I filmed the view, captioning it “going on an adventure!” We grabbed brunch to go at a new spot by the ferry, walked by the water in the windy weather, then headed to the pumpkin patch. The patch was smaller than expected, so after taking a few photos we decided to explore more of the area.
Next we visited Price Sculpture Forest. We walked the trail hand in hand, enjoying the forest air and the artwork along the path. After finishing the loop, Dong mentioned a nearby park as one last stop before dinner in Oak Harbor.
We arrived at Driftwood Park around 3:00 and strolled along the beach. The rain had passed and the water shone a beautiful blue-green. I stopped to take a video, and we continued along the rocky shore. At one point Dong pointed to some seaweed and joked, “Is that yours?”—a silly little thing we do on walks.
A little further on he pointed at something tucked in the driftwood: a large glass bottle with a cork. I picked it up, cork in hand, and found a scroll wrapped with twine inside. My hands shook as I read the heartfelt words he had written.
Then Dong knelt down and asked, “Courtney Lane Michaels, will you marry me?” I said yes without hesitation, hugged him, kissed him, and felt pure joy and calm in the thrilling surprise.
I noticed someone taking photos and waved, then realized the photographer was my sister Kylee—who I thought was in Portland that day. We walked toward a charming shingled beach house where people on the deck cheered. I was stunned to see so many loved ones standing there to celebrate.
My parents and grandparents, who I had seen that morning, were there—so they had known all along. My brother from Seattle, my lifelong friend Emily with her husband and baby, my college roommate Jane, and others were hiding inside the house to surprise me. They’d been recording everything—there’s a video that shows the behind-the-scenes footage and their stealthy filming.
We went inside the adorable AirBnB Dong had rented, which was decorated for the occasion. I Facetimed more friends and learned, layer by layer, how much planning had gone into the surprise—group texts I didn’t know about, people canceling plans, and carefully coordinated timing. It was touching and funny to piece together all the details.
I discovered Dong had been carrying a sign tucked inside his raincoat and hid the ring box under his arm the whole day. He truly planned every moment. Friends prepared a festive fall charcuterie board, which made the celebration feel even more special—fall is my favorite season, after all.
I felt surrounded by love and gratitude—truly a day we will always remember.
There is a meaningful story behind my ring. The diamond in my solitaire was a gift Dong received from his mother. She brought family diamonds and jewelry with her when she immigrated from Vietnam, following her mother’s advice to carry these heirlooms to start a new life. Dong had one of those diamonds reset into the ring and used my Pinterest for inspiration to create the branch-style setting. I love the ring and the family history it represents.
The week after our engagement we visited Dong’s family and looked through old photo albums. One photo shows his grandmother on her only visit to the U.S.—seeing that made the ring’s story feel even more special.
There’s much more to share about the time before and after the proposal, but this is the story of how we got engaged. Thank you to everyone who sent kind messages and celebrated with us—you’ve made this season even more joyful.
You can watch a short video of the proposal for behind-the-scenes clips.
I’ve shared additional photos and answered questions on Instagram, and I’ll likely post more about wedding planning as we go. I’d love for you to follow along if you’re interested.
Thank you again for the kind messages and support—this has been an incredibly special time for our family, and I look forward to sharing more updates in the months ahead.
Watch the proposal video on YouTube
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UPDATE! I shared a new post about our wedding with photos, details, and planning advice. Read the full post on The Inspired Room for more.
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The Inspired Room // Courtney // Kylee // Dwell Well Collective // Jack the Goldendoodle // Doodles at Home