I'm Engaged!

It took me a while to get around to posting this, as I've been engaged since October 20th, but if you were to ask Jillian she would tell you it took even longer getting around to proposing. She was somewhat expecting it back when we went to Gatlinburg. As I hadn't had the the chance to speak with her dad yet, I was forced to disappoint her. We recently took a trip up to Birmingham for the Barber Vintage Festival and I was lucky enough to find a little time to sneak away and accomplish that task. so, with ring in hand and parental blessing, the time was at hand. She had recently suggested trying out the dining hall at the Grand Hotel in Fairhope, so I thought it was a perfect opportunity. Turns out, she thought the same thing and was why she suggested it. Sneaky one she is.
Well, we went early in the evening to try and catch the sunset from a window seat and just missed it. The atmosphere of the restaurant was very nice (but COLD); There was even a woman playing elevator music on the piano and taking requests. A side note: I requested "Girl from Ipanema" but left before she had the chance to play it. The food was as pricey as expected but delicious and the chef decided that we were hungry enough to send us complimentary chocolate truffles and strawberries after our desert. Stuffed, I asked her to join me for a stroll along the water.
My plan was to have her walk with me to a swing we had once sat in the night of a friends wedding, but a current wedding reception blocked us and was blaring, what I seem to remember as, 80's rap music. She convinced me to walk the other direction and we sat at an equally lovely spot with a great view of the shore line and out of earshot of the reception. I'll spare you all the things I said, but I ended on my knee and she said, "yes".
Here's a photo of the ring:

We've since made a website for our wedding, planned for next October. Feel free to check it out here.