I am so excited to be able to blog about such a special event. On June 24, my younger brother, Alan, proposed to his girlfriend of 11 months at Children’s Harbor on Lake Martin. Although the rain through us all for a loop, it was still an unforgettable evening. Allison is never without her trusty camera, so we knew a photographer was a must-have. I called David Shirk with Unplugged Photography, and without hesitation, he agreed to be our secret photographer. Andy Hopper of KG Designs, created beautiful arrangements to fit the occasion, and Allison Banks designed a unique, one of a kind, monogram to depict Alan and Allison’s married monogram.
As for the story – Allison had just spent a week at the beach with her family, and Alan had promised they would have “date night” at Willow Point Country Club when they arrived to the lake after she returned from the beach. It was nothing out of the ordinary for Alan and Allison to hop in the boat and have dinner somewhere on the lake, so to Allison, this seemed like any other night they would have while visiting Lake Martin. Just before they were to leave for dinner, I called Alan asking him to go take measurements at Children’s Harbor for a wedding I was fictitiously having the next day. Again, to Allison, this was nothing out of the ordinary. When they arrived to Children’s Harbor, Allison noticed a few decorations, but assumed they were details I had put together for the wedding she thought I was planning. Much to her surprise, this was all her her, and would soon become the place she would say “yes” to becoming Mrs. Alan Cease.
After Allison said “yes!”, Alan then surprised her with dinner at their favorite restaurant on Lake Martin, Spring House. Allison was under the impression that her dad was working at the hospital, so they would celebrate with both families later on that next week. Little did she know, that both the Cease and Stewart families were waiting in a private dining room at Spring House to celebrate their engagement.
After dinner, Allison though the surprises were over and everyone was heading their separate ways back home. While Allison and Alan drove the boat home, we all congregated back at the lake house for the final surprise of the evening. Allison, a Samford alum, has always dreamed of getting married in Reid Chapel, one of Birmingham’s most coveted ceremony locations. When they docked the boat and walked up onto the lawn, Allison assumed it was a celebratory cake. After a few minutes, she realized the cake said “Alan and Allison, April 14, 2012.” Alan had booked Reid Chapel and confirmed their wedding date – April 14, 2012. Dreamcakes Bakery did a wonderful job designing cake that depicted Allison’s final surprise!
Thank you to everyone who had a part in this special day. Congratulations to Alan and Allison – April 14, 2012 will be here before you know it!
