Engagement

Monday was a very exciting day in - Jody and Phil got engaged! 

Jody and I have been talking about it for months now, speculating about when and how it would happen, and as she is one of the sharpest and most on it people I know, keeping it a secret from her was a challenge. 

However, the secret was kept and the Phil popped the question at the Grove on Monday afternoon. They then had afternoon tea with champagne, before returning home for one last surprise for Jody: a surprise engagement party! 

It was really special for us as their closest friends to be able to celebrate with them, show them how much we love them, individually and as a couple, and how excited we are for their future together. 

One of the walls in the living room was covered with photos of the
two of them.

Emma and I made celebratory cupcakes. 

Food table. Incorporating English and American food.
Well. Some oreos. 

Luke Brown and Emma.

Good old Brown. 

Jody has been collecting little glass pots for her wedding
for months, so we took them and lit candles in them
lining the walkway. 

Jody is American and Phil is British, meaning that Jody's family couldn't be there for the party, so we got them up on Skype instead! We were all prepared for them to be surprised by us until we were told they had gotten into the wrong taxi (how does that even happen?!). So we put the lights on again and were unprepared for their actual entry! I suddenly saw the flash of Jody's gold bag in the hall and there they were. The surprise still worked, we just failed on the dramatic entry.  

Retelling how he proposed. 

The Hamrics! Jody and Phil in England; Justine, Gabe, Coleen
and Jeff (and Caspian) in California and Keely in Nashville.  

Champagne! 

Jo and new baby Bethany came round to celebrate
with us too! 

It was so great to surprise these two and now I'm excited for the wedding!