It was December 4, 2021 and the SEC Championship was being played in Atlanta. I, Lacey, went to hang out with friends in Athens to watch the game. There were several people I knew hanging out and we all ended up eating dinner at The Blind Pig in downtown Athens. I did not order any food, I was just enjoying the company of everyone, but this guy across the table from me did. He saw I didn't order anything and asked if I wanted his pickle spear. Little did he know I LOVE pickles, and I thought this was a sweet gesture as my Papa would always share his pickles with me as a child. We continued talking throughout the night and we decided we should hang out more. We continued to get to know each other and fell in love!

I , Austin, had known I wanted to marry Lacey a long time before I got on one knee, but I wanted to make sure the proposal would be perfect. Once I had the ring I just needed the best spot to propose. A few months before the big day I figured out where (the State Botanical Gardens) and set about getting everything ready. Meanwhile, I am having to dodge my inquisitive, beautiful girlfriend's questions about when I was going to propose. I kept telling her it was coming but told her she was going to ruin the surprise!

I contacted a good friend of ours, Bryson, who is a great photographer Lacey and I had worked with before. We decided that on the Saturday before the big day, we would scout out a good location within the Gardens. That Saturday, I had one of Lacey's friends, Lauren, ask her out to brunch so I could go meet Bryson at the gardens. The meeting with Bryson went well and we found the perfect spot and called it a day. I then came home to a dejected Lacey who had thought I was going to propose that day! I had to console her and let her know it was coming (but little did she know it was a week away).

The day before the Proposal I asked Lacey if she wanted to go for a picnic the following day. Lacey was rightfully confused because we never take picnics but agreed to go. I figured if it seemed like an out-of-the-blue decision it would seem less obvious that something was going on (it did not).

On the big day we both got home from work and changed before heading out. Lacey seemed really nervous so I thought she had figured it out which made me anxious. We finally arrived at the Gardens and got to the spot. I laid out the blanket and picnic supplies and waited for Bryson to get into position in a bush nearby. Being in a bush, when he moved to get a better view, he inevitably stepped on a twig which made me go "huh must be a squirrel", then quickly rush for the ring. Lacey had just sat down before I said "Lace, could you please stand up for me?"

Thankfully she had not seen Bryson and was very surprised by my proposal. It went perfectly even though I had tried to put the ring on the wrong hand.