Brandon and I hosted a pre-funk at our place, enjoying snacks and drinks and many laughs with some friends. Alida and Erin (two of my closest girlfriends) and their husbands Will and Paul arrived before the party started, as planned. The perfect start to a beautiful night. Alida had baked a delicious cake (her own Earl Grey tea invention) and decorated with white frosting, red hearts, and black lettering — matching our red, white, and black inspired circus outfits. Friends came in and joined the fun, bringing libations, food, and (most importantly) love, hugs and so much positive energy. Here’s Brandon and me at our pre-funk:

Erin and Paul gave Brandon and me a ride to the party after we kicked everyone out of our place to head to the venue. We timed it just right, arriving just before the band went on stage. I was able to hug and dance with friends and listen to the incredible, energetic, fun sound of March Fourth Marching Band. I love their circusy outfits, on stage energy, stilt walkers, performers, and musicians. Add being surrounded by some of my favorite people: a perfect birthday celebration!

While dancing with friends, I noticed Brandon wasn’t around for a bit and started missing him (he really is so cute and fun to dance with, it’s easy to miss him). I was thinking of wandering a bit and Erin told me she was probably going to leave soon and I should stay and dance with her before she had to head home. Alida looked toward the stage and pointed out a giant cat mascot that had appeared. I laughed and said it was “sort of creepy”. Then the stilt-walker announced that they were giving away a t-shirt to one lucky audience member. He said they had all the names of everyone there in the hat (“yeah right” was my aside). After a drum roll, they called…my name! I thought “sweet! I’ll pick it up from their merch booth after the show,” when I realized they were gesturing for me to come up on stage. I threw my coat into Nora’s arms to hold for me and headed up through the crowd, hoping the jump up wouldn’t be painful on my recently bruised ribs.  The stilt-walker presented me with my t-shirt, to which I threw him a hand-heart sign. Then he told me I might want to look to my left.

I turned, and this is where everything went into sloooooooow motion. Brandon was there, in the cat mascot outfit with the head off. My mind went to “this is quite the birthday gesture” (totally bouncing off the idea that this might be anything more than that). He stepped up to the microphone, and my mind somehow concocted “Oh, maybe he’s going to sing? Did he prepare a song?” SURE, brain. Great guess.

Speaking into the microphone as he looked at me, he said, “Keridwyn Marie Deller, you’re the love of my life. Will you marry me?” then dropped to a knee holding a ring in his hands. I dropped down to his level to hug him and might have said something like “Is this real?” He laughed and said “Is that a yes?” and I said “YES!” through my cry-face. I was 100% shocked. It took quite a few minutes backstage talking with him to let it sink in it was actually real. Who am I kidding? It took days to really sink in. I am overjoyed.

After some backstage hugs and talking (I have a vague recollection of asking him hilarious questions like “Did you know this was going to happen?”), we went out to an overwhelming amount of hugs and love from our friends in the audience and rocked out with the band for their final songs. I cried at least five more times before the show was over. Brandon’s face was beaming with happiness and I was on cloud nine: we are engaged! I had zero idea this was going to happen. ZERO.  My boyfriend of over eight years is now my fiancé! I’m so grateful we get to spend the rest of our lives together, and while we already knew that was the plan, I’m thrilled for this next fun adventure in our relationship.

Big thanks to our friend Will for his awesome video: