Angela and Kevin’s Engagement

As a wedding dress designer, I’ve had the honor of working with many couples, but Angela and Kevin’s story is extra special! Angela is my sister, and Kevin is my soon-to-be brother-in-law, their journey to this moment wasn’t exactly what they’d envisioned, but isn’t that what makes love stories even better? It’s the imperfections, the surprises, and the moments you can’t plan that make it all so special.

The Ring

Before I dive into the proposal details, I want to take a moment to talk about the ring—because let’s be honest, it’s a beautiful piece. Kevin did an amazing job picking it out! Angela, being as simple and understated gal that she is, wasn’t sure what kind of ring she wanted. She never envisioned herself with anything too flashy, but once Kevin had the chance to pick it out, he knew it had to be timeless. It’s a classic single diamond with a halo underneath, set in a traditional, clean style. The diamond is natural, and Kevin’s reasoning for this was simple: he wanted something that would stand the test of time!

During a vacation in Traverse City last spring, Kevin dragged Angela into a jewelry store to look at rings. Angela, typically shy in these kinds of situations, was very hesitant at first. She even said, “This is kind of weird,” but by the end of their visit, she was laughing and having fun!

The Proposal: An Early Morning Surprise

Kevin had originally planned the perfect engagement for mid to late summer, with July 11th as the date circled on the calendar. He had everything meticulously planned out, even consulting Angela’s parents on June 25th and getting their blessing. The idea was to propose at the coffee shop where Angela and Kevin first met—a special spot that held so much meaning for them both. After the proposal, they were going to take a walk together, followed by a celebration dinner with all their family.

 There was also a country concert they both loved coming up, and Kevin had envisioned it as the perfect way to celebrate the big moment. But as life often does, things didn’t go according to plan.

Just one week before the proposal, Angela, who had originally planned to take the day off to attend the concert with Kevin, informed him that she’d need to work that day instead. He knew he needed to come up with a new plan fast, so he turned to Angela’s mom for advice. She gave him plenty of ideas, but after talking through a few options, the only date that worked out was Monday night. Kevin had originally been thinking of that Monday anyway, but unexpected events involving Angela’s parents threw a wrench in the works. Ultimately, he decided to go with Plan B: propose on Tuesday morning instead.

While it wasn’t the grand, orchestrated plan he had envisioned, Kevin couldn’t help but feel like the universe was pushing him toward a new, untraditional path for this special moment. He and Angela are both early risers, so he knew that they’d enjoy a morning proposal. The evening before, Angela casually mentioned that she wanted to go for a walk in the morning—something they often did together. Kevin, feeling a wave of relief, jumped on the opportunity. He suggested they head to Northville for coffee, and Angela, never suspecting a thing, agreed. Little did she know, the morning walk was about to become something she’d never forget.

As they pulled into the parking lot, Angela casually said, “Hey, do you remember the time we first met here?” Kevin’s heart skipped a beat. Did she know? Was she on to him? He tried not to panic, but he couldn’t help thinking that she might have figured it out. Thankfully, Angela was simply reminiscing about their first encounter and didn’t have a clue what was coming.

Kevin led her to a quiet little walkway lined with trees near the coffee shop—a spot he had carefully chosen to keep the proposal intimate and personal. He had considered proposing right in the middle of the parking lot where they first met but wanted something that felt more romantic. As he dropped to one knee, Angela was genuinely shocked. She thought Kevin was joking at first, laughing it off with a “no, no, no, no!” It was a natural reaction. Kevin had prepared a heartfelt speech, but as soon as he saw her reaction, all the words he had planned escaped. His emotions took over, and all he could muster was, “I love you, will you marry me?” In the few moments that followed, Angela’s shock turned to joy, and she said yes. It was simple, raw, and perfect for them. 

A Little Misstep and a Lot of Laughs

They took a short walk after the proposal, savoring the moment together, when Angela’s parents, unbeknownst to her, appeared in the parking lot. They had been waiting to see if Kevin had popped the question yet, but in true fashion, they tried to hide, ducking down in the car as they saw Angela and Kevin walking. Of course, Kevin saw them, and the whole moment was filled with laughter.

The only hiccup after the proposal? Angela wasn’t prepared. She had hoped for the perfect nails and an outfit she could feel good in for the big day, but since she wasn’t expecting the proposal, she was less than thrilled about not being “photo-ready.” Kevin got a good-natured scolding for not making sure Angela was properly prepped, but even that didn’t dampen the joy of the moment.

Celebration With The Family

Later that evening, the couple celebrated with family a at restaurant for dinner, Granite City. Angela, usually not much of a drinker, ordered a margarita—something that immediately caught the attention of everyone at the table. Her mood was contagious, and as she attempted to show off her new ring while toasting, no one seemed to notice though. It wasn’t until the moment had passed that everyone at the table realized, “Oh my gosh, Angela’s engaged!” The surprise and laughter that followed made for one of the most memorable moments of the night.

What was supposed to be a perfectly executed proposal turned out to be anything but. Yet, for Angela and Kevin, the spontaneous, authentic moments made their engagement all the more meaningful. The true beauty of their story lies in the unexpected—whether it was the change in plans, the early morning surprise, or Angela’s unpolished nails—it was their story, and it was perfect in its own way.

I couldn’t be more thrilled for them as they begin this next chapter of their lives. And I can’t wait to help Angela design the perfect dress for their wedding day—something that’s as timeless and elegant as their love.

In the meantime, I’ll be cherishing this special memory, knowing that their story is just beginning, and I couldn’t be more excited to see where it leads.

The Engagement Dress

As many of you know, our OTHER sister Melissa got married last spring, and as I will with Angela, I made her whole ‘wedding wardrobe’. Angela’s style is comprised of one word as she says herself: ‘simple’. I as a designer, am not simple. However, my one and only goal always is to make the bride happy and feel beautiful in whatever she wants! However, our ending result of her engagement photo dress caught me by surprise, as it was quite stylish after all. We were inspired by the shape of a 1960s short dress we saw on Pinterest. This dress is made of a light blue and cream vintage floral brocade from the 1950s! So, because this brocade fabric was one of my all-time favorites, I made SURE Angela was going to like the dress before I cut into the precious fabric. I therefore made a really nice mock dress out of other similar fabrics to ensure the style and fit before cutting into the actual fabric. You might remember, that I used this exact fabric for my sister Colleen’s maid-of-honor dress for my wedding! Overall, I loved how their engagement photos turned out, how beautiful! Stay tuned for MANY more wedding wardrobe looks…including the bridal gown itself that we just started working on!!!

To hear more about Angela and Kevin’s heartfelt journey, including behind-the-scenes stories and personal anecdotes, listen to the full podcast episode on Dressing Up with Sarah Kolis here!

Authors: Sarah Kolis and Abby Reilly

Photographer: @pennyralenephotography
Engagment Dress:  @sarahkolisdesigns