A Sweet Engagement Story: Trevor & Rachel

Update: The wedding was amazing! Check it out here, here and here.

If there were an award for parents who were most involved and instrumental in their son’s proposals, I do believe Tom and I might possibly win! We were blessed to play an integral role in the sweet engagement story of each of our sons. Today, I want to share the story of the most recent Tabler proposal, that of Trevor and Rachel.

Over Memorial Day, Trevor found the opportunity to ask Rachel’s dad for her hand in marriage. He granted his favor and permission, and Trevor was thrilled! He and I began looking at rings, and he found THE ONE he knew she would love. We kept Rachel’s parents up-to-date on the proposal plans. Now we just had to plan the perfect engagement. Tom, Trevor and I spent a several days brainstorming ideas, and we quickly settle upon a plan! Here’s how it all unfolded…

It was a beautiful June weekend in Newport Beach. Patrick and Shandi had flown in from San Antonio to be a part of the big event. Tom booked the presidential suite at the Newport Beach Marriott (yes, we love our Marriott employee perks!). Since Tom, Trevor and Rachel had to work on Friday, Patrick, Shandi and I headed to the coast earlier in the day to scope out potential engagement spots. The first three we considered were not a good fit at all. Then a couple we met in Corona Del Mar suggested the beach at Little Corona. The second I saw it, I realized that this was the exact location of mine and Tom’s engagement photos 27 years earlier! Our photos captured this same hollow rock. There was a lone lifeguard stand on the beach, and we knew immediately that this was our spot.

Same spot 27 years earlier!

To offer a reason for all of us to be there when Trevor proposed, I had texted everyone earlier in the week and told them we were going to have our family Christmas card picture taken at the beach before dinner on Saturday. I also told them to bring a nice outfit because we would be having dinner at The Cannery Restaurant. This is where Tom and I first met. Back in the day, he was a valet and I was a hostess. So we were able to set the stage for the perfect opportunity for the big proposal! Trevor printed out one of his favorite Bible verses to slide through the ring.

On Saturday afternoon, we all prepared for the beach photo and dinner. When time came to head to the beach, Trevor pretended to have a bad stomach ache. We told him and Rachel that we would go down to the beach to find a good spot, and they could meet us there. Trevor was a trembling bunch of nerves! Tom, Patrick, Shandi and I drove to Little Corona to secure the lifeguard stand. Trevor wanted “Marry Me” to be spelled out in the sand, so we all started gathering seaweed. Creative Shandi would be the seaweed artist.

Patrick gathering seaweed.

While Shandi started creating the words, I was busy dusting the sand off the lifeguard stand so that Trevor’s new white pants wouldn’t get dirty when he kneeled to propose. I stepped on something in the sand and reached down to see what it was. It took my breath away! You see, my sweet Mema, who went to be with the Lord eight years ago, LOVED owls. And so, I, too, love owls, as they remind me of Mema. Imagine my surprise when I discovered this is what I had stepped on! I felt Mema smiling down at me from heaven.

Meanwhile, Tom was spreading out a picnic blanket where we would all later sit and celebrate the engagement with a bottle of Dom Perignon we had been saving for a special occasion. We finally texted Trevor with the okay to head down to the beach. The anticipation was tangible down at Little Corona! Our hearts beat fast as we waited to see them coming down the hill. Shandi moved to the spot where she would capture the moment with her nice camera. When Trevor and Rachel arrived, I told them I wanted to take their picture on the lifeguard stand. They climbed and Trevor pointed toward the seaweed message and told Rachel to “look over there.” Then I watched as my sweet, second-born son dropped to one knee!

We all tried to hold back tears of joy. Rachel was taken COMPLETELY by surprise. All she could say was, “What? What?” Then she finally said, “YES!”

We poured champagne and celebrated! Tom and I were thrilled that we’d officially be gaining another daughter soon.

Shandi took lots of pictures of the happy couple, and we found someone to take our Christmas card picture as well.

The whole experience will forever be one of my favorite memories!

Tom and I feel so blessed that our boys each found such precious girls. Beautiful inside and out. Godly. Kind. Creative. Smart. The whole package!

This is the front of the happy couple’s save-the-date postcard.

Now I am experiencing the huge blessing of once again helping to plan a wedding. Life simply doesn’t get any better than this!

xoxo,

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