Casey loves experiences, especially when they involve food and drink pairing. When Casey and Nicole first started dating, Casey told Nicole that Sonoita always held a special place in her heart. Nicole knew at that moment, she would propose to Casey in Sonoita, AZ. Casey is very in-tune with Nicole and knows when she is hiding something. Nicole did her best to disguise the trip as a weekend out of the heat, drinking wine, and enjoying each other's company. Nicole rented a house for the weekend, which is seen in the picture. On Friday evening, in front of the big window, overlooking the green plains of Sonoita, Nicole had Casey do a puzzle. When Casey put the puzzle together it said "You are my missing piece." There was a piece of the puzzle that was missing. Puzzled (pun intended), Casey wondered where the missing piece was. Nicole went to the bedroom and came out with a ring box that had the missing piece and the ring. Nicole got down on one knee and presented the ring box to Casey. The missing piece said, "Will you marry me?" Nicole started explaining to Casey why she wanted to marry her. In the middle of Nicole's explanation, Casey blurted out "yes" before Nicole could finish what she was saying. Then she said "Oh wait! Let me let you finish." Nicole was able to finish and that was how it all happened!

Surprise! When Nicole first proposed to me, I knew I had to plan something special to propose to her as well.

On September 7th, I arranged a day just for Nicole and me. She had no idea what was in store. As we drove towards our destination, I anticipated she’d figure it out. Sure enough, as we approached, she exclaimed, "The aquarium is over here!" I chuckled and confirmed, "Yep, that's where we're headed." She was thrilled, as she loves the aquarium, but little did she know there were more surprises ahead!

Upon arriving, I told her we’d start with a special activity before exploring the exhibits. We headed to the SeaTREK counter, where you get to scuba dive with sharks, pufferfish, stingrays, and more. Her face lit up with pure joy and excitement! I pulled out our pre-packed bathing suits, and we got ready to dive—though I had an extra special surprise hidden in the mix.

While Nicole changed, I discreetly handed the engagement ring to one of the divers. We finished getting into our wetsuits and entered the tank area. With four other participants in our group, I made sure to be the last one to enter the water. The dive was incredible; we explored the tank, fed stingrays, and marveled at the sea life.

As we approached the final corner of the tank, it was showtime! To distract Nicole, they squirted krill in her direction, drawing all the fish to her face. At that moment, the diver passed me the ring. I pointed to the glass, where our family—Mama Cruz, Bridesman Wade, Sister Christina, Sister Cyndi, Tia Eleanor, and Tio Ralph—were holding a sign that read, “Nicole, will you marry me, too?”

As Nicole turned to see the sign, confused but curious, I dropped to one knee with the ring in hand. Seeing me on one knee, still in shock, she said yes! I slipped the ring onto her finger, and it was a perfect, unforgettable moment.