Congratulations to Megan and Jason the lucky winners of this engagement package giveaway! Their story won the hearts of all!

They will get to experience the best of Santa Barbara, the American Riviera, with this amazing package:

  • A one hour wedding consultation with Zohe Felici of Felici Events
  • A one night's Stay at The Canary Hotel with breakfast in bed for 2 (a fabulous downtown hotel ideal for breathtaking views, wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, farewell brunches and guest room blocks)
  • $100 Gift Certificate from Opal Restaurant and Bar (one of my favorite places in town, and I'm a foodie!, this downtown venue is ideally located, reasonably priced, great wine list and a perfect location for receptions and rehearsal dinners)
  • Hair and Make Up by the talented Victoria Congdon (with such a great demeanor, she's someone I positively want in your room with you while you're getting hair and make-up done!)
  • A Professional Engagement Photo Shoot captured by the brilliance of Kristen Beinke Photography (she radiates from the soul, her energy and talent capture the most beautiful of pictures!)

Read their winning story below:

Who gets engaged on a volcano?? WE DO. That’s who.

By Megan Woods

When Jason and I celebrated our engagement with friends they toasted to us… ‘FINALLY, Jason proposed!’ I laughed aloud – ‘oh please… it hasn’t even been a 2 years!’ – only to hear the response that they’d all been waiting since week two. In our case, ‘when you know, you know’ rings very true. Jason and I met in June of 2009, we bonded over a Michael Jackson dance medley at a Karaoke bar and have been inseparable ever since.

The truth of it is, I think we both knew on DAY 2 that we’d stumbled upon the person we were meant for. Giddiness (along with a lot of love and laughter and a new place together and a dog and unconditional support and snowboarding trips and barbeques and the best time of our lives) ensued… Fast-forward to December 27th 2010 and Jason and I are embarking on day 1 of our Costa Rica adventure vacation. We booked the trip last minute using airline mileage that was set to expire. We spent one rainy Sunday planning the trip. It all came together so fast I was careful to lower my hopes that a proposal scheme might also be underway. We spent an incredibly fun Christmas with my family and 24 hours later were hiking up towards an active volcano. Side note. I’m totally obsessed with volcanoes. At one point in my life there was no doubt I would be a volcanologist… or a storm chaser. So being this close to a volcano was a huge thrill (even though I ended up working in advertising). We had a tour guide with us who was full of all sorts of unromantic information like what happens to your body when you get bit by a viper snake… triggered by actually SEEING a viper.

 

One might expect, my mind was not thinking about diamonds or love or marriage or Jason taking a knee amongst a rainforest full of snakes. Then we got to a huge clearing of lava rocks. Massive black boulders piled on top of each other. It was foggy and misting and mystical. There were single orchids sprouting between black rocks. So pretty. And suddenly, so romantic. I was looking for a toucan through binoculars and when I turned around I saw Jason holding this little metal owl (I love owls). He pulled me in close, forehead-to-forehead, nervous and shivering, he told me I make his heart skip a beat, that it swells from his chest and he loves me. That I challenge him to do fun things. I am his advisor and confidant. That he needs me… to be the best him. That he wants me in all of his children and he wants to do adventurous things (like climb volcanoes) for the rest of our lives. Down to his knee. Opened the owl. BEAUTIFUL. Diamond. Ring. Will you marry me? Yes, yes, yes! Are you kidding me?! OF COURSE YES! Jason could have asked me to marry him laying in bed on a lazy Sunday morning and I’d have been just as thrilled. I feel like the luckiest girl ever – not just because I got engaged on a volcano or am walking around with a freakin’ rock on my finger, but because I get to marry a seriously good man. One that I know will treat me like gold the rest of our lives and makes me the best version of myself.

We’re getting married in Santa Barbara September 4th, 2011. Jason is from Austin, I’m from San Diego. ‘The American Rivera’ felt like the perfect blend of both of those places (plus it’ll be an awesome place for us to spend anniversaries!) We can’t wait to host our family and friends for a weekend of merriment and celebration. Better yet, we can’t wait to be married!

At Felici Events we cultivate relationships and align ourselves  with class-act vendors who share our same philosophies and high expectations for customer service. Thank you to our sponsors!

Canary Santa Barbara Opal Restaurant and Bar Mishay Salon Kristen Beinke

And to our fabulous supporters:

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