Lorraine was great enough to send over their Disneyland photos and story: The story seems incredibly formulaic when we tell people how “we” began. We met in undergrad at San Francisco State University and were good friends for almost 2 years, until I mucked it all up and professed my love over AOL Instant Messenger. Leah was at dinner with mutual friends and I was sitting in my room with the lights off listening to Keane – I was, to say the least, in a “profess your love” kind of mood. To my surprise she took the leap and thus began the unceremonious trek through the infancy of our relationship. Nearly six years later here we are, living in San Diego while Leah pursues her Juris Doctor degree, and ready to embark on our next great adventure.
I’ve overlooked a few minor details in the story because it does get a bit complicated in between our first meeting and me professing my love. But I will sum up all the complications by saying that when I first met Leah, she was straight. And while we were friends, I stood by her side while she talked to me about “boy issues”. Needless to say, I was thoroughly blind-sided when she said she wanted to give me a chance.
Fast-forward 3 years after Keane induced out of body experience, to a jewelry store where we randomly find ourselves looking at settings. She falls in love with a beautiful antique setting and round cut diamond. I purchase the ring while she waits in the lobby, because I’m a salespersons dream. Tell me you have a bridge for sale and I may just buy it if it looks amazing. I chose a ring box with a light in it thinking it would accentuate the diamond, realizing later what a ridiculously 80’s idea that was. However, little did I know that the lit ring box would be an incredible blessing in disguise.
I had the perfect plan for proposing to her. San Francisco is the city we’ve left our hearts in. We found ourselves there, and each other, so what better place to propose than the city we loved so deeply. I spoke to a few of our close friends and devised a scavenger hunt through the city. Each friend would be at a check point and her parents would be waiting at the finish line after all was said and done to witness my grand act of love. That was until Leah expressed that she was against public proposals. Insert a “wah wah waaaaaaah”. Disappointed, I regrouped and quickly switched over to Plan B: Disneyland. For everyone who knows us, we love Disneyland just as much as San Francisco. And love is probably and incredible understatement. We have annual passes and don’t need no stinkin’ maps when we visit.
Enter ring box with a dinky light. Leah’s favorite ride is Peter Pan and for those in the know, it is dark. Each year Leah and I go to the Unofficial Gay Days at Disneyland, so I resolved to pop the question then. I invited our close friends, my brother, sister and a few of my cousins to join in the big day. We all knew the game plan: everyone would ride ahead of us, I would propose during the ride (private proposal request: check!), and we would be greeted with cheers and signs upon exit. Well that’s basically how it all went down. And bless my bizarre choice of a ring box with a light in it, because it wouldn’t have been nearly as romantic opening the box and then pulling out my cell phone.
We’ll be celebrating our wedding in Vermont next September (9-10-11!) with only a handful of very close family and friends who have loved us and supported us from the beginning.
Images by Kristina Yamamoto
awwwwww so cute! congrats!
Lorraine is hilarious! Beautiful couple, beautiful story and beautiful photos!
What a great couple and a great story! Also, I want to steal that black and white dress, the lace top and the chucks. You guys sound awesome. Best of luck!
Awww snap! You totally took my idea hahaha well the Disneyland part! I’m stuck between proposing at Disneyland (our first date was there) or during our Hawaii family vacation in October. And we’re living in San Diego too! Small world…
Congrats and many blessings to you two!
Thanks everybody! We are so happy we were able to share our pictures with everyone! And yes, Lorraine is hilarious, that’s why I’m marrying her! ; )
EPIC. LOVE IT.
Lorraine and Leah, congratulations to you! Your story is so sweet and funny, you two sound very lucky to have found each other. I’m sure you don’t need it but, best of luck with your wedding and marriage.
[...] first when I saw this post, I thought I’d gotten engaged. Read the story of Leah and Lorraine, a gay couple who recently got engaged at Disneyland. I think [...]