Ryan said, “Nicole is from Nong Khai, Thailand and came to the United States when she was 7 years old. She has lived in Detroit, Michigan for the past few years. I am from Indiana, but I’ve been living in Atlanta, Georgia. We have both made Atlanta home. Nicole and I met through a mutual friend in Michigan. We started hanging out with the same group of friends, but over time we started going out just us. We’ve been together now for 2 and 1/2 years!”

“Once I knew it was the right time for the next step, I looked for the best and romantic cities for proposals. I choose Charleston for the historical and cultural significance. The Battery is the most iconic spot in Charleston and I knew it had to be there! I also wanted to choose an important day, and what is more romantic than Valentine’s Day. Might be a little cliché, but I knew Nicole would love it." 

“I also contacted Stunning & Brilliant Events coordinator Alyssa in Charleston so she could help me setup everything with the White Point Gardens Gazebo and I think Alyssa’s setup is the reason Nicole said yes! I’m just kidding, but I’m sure it helped. From the very first time I reached out to Alyssa, she was willing to do whatever she could to make the proposal a success. She gave suggestions on where the best spots are to propose in Charleston. After I picked the gazebo, she offered amazing suggestions and organized everything. She setup Valerie & Co. as our proposal photographer, created a detailed timeline for the evening, and setup our dinner reservation for Eli’s Table which I’d highly recommend. Alyssa turned my proposal dream into reality.” 

“The day of the proposal, we started a walk at Rainbow Row and headed south towards The Battery. As we got closer Nicole started to complain that her feet were hurting from walking so far in high heels. I said just a little bit further and we can stop for dinner. Then we crossed the road and headed up the steps of the white gazebo in White Point Gardens. Nicole told me later that she thought ‘Aww this is cute, someone is going to be proposed to.’ Then she was shocked to see the roses covering the floor and our photos on the table. That’s when she realized, ‘Oh wait, I’m getting proposed to!’ Then everything fell in place and she said yes when I got on one knee.”  

Congratulations to Nicole & Ryan from all of us at Valerie & Co. Photographers!