Melissa + Adam

And so it begins

My best friend and Maid of Honor, Yvelise, and her daughter, Alissa, were sleeping over my apartment in Tampa as a last hoorah before we moved to Chapel Hill (or so I thought). After a hilarious night of walking around Hyde Park, dinner, and green facemasks, the three of us squeezed into my bed and eventually fell asleep. In the morning, Yvelise presented me with a silver bag. Thinking it was a goodbye gift, I was completely confused when I opened it up. I found a small silver box with a bearded dragon on it, and inside were two puzzle pieces. I also found a treasure map with a poem on it instructing me that I needed to solve riddles to identify and visit several locations in Tampa. At each location, I was to collect a puzzle piece so that I could complete the puzzle. The completed puzzle would have one last riddle on it, and upon solving the riddle I would find out where I needed to be that night at forty-five minutes past the hour of seven.

Hover over the picture and click the right arrow to continue.

I’m pretty sure I was already freaking out at this moment. I have to give it to Yvelise and Alissa; they NEVER let their guard down and would NOT tell me what was going on—even when I was freaking out! Plus, they had known for weeks and never said a word! Additionally, Adam was MIA throughout that day, only texting me to tell me he loved me or to send me hearts—leaving me with a complete cliffhanger!

So, we followed the directions on the treasure map and I correctly identified that the answer for the first riddle (and FYI, I got ALL the riddles correct) led us to Oxford Exchange in downtown Tampa for breakfast. So, we got ourselves ready and headed over.

Oxford Exchange!

Waiting for us at Oxford Exchange was another silver bag, the second puzzle piece, and a giftcard for breakfast.

The next clue read...

Heavenly Nail Salon!

After eating, we headed there for manicures -- I got a light pink.

And sure enough, there was another bag, with a bearded dragon, and a clue inside...

The next clue...

Frostings Cupcakes!

Waiting for us were some delicious and pretty chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes...

along with our next puzzle piece and a clue!

Schakolad Chocolate Factory!

There, we picked up a huge heart with our names in it, and a large engagement ring chocolate. Even though the worker said “Congratulations!” to me, I was still in denial. We got the fifth puzzle piece and clue, which made me laugh...

It read...

And off back to my apartment we went! Inside, there was the sixth puzzle piece and clue waiting (one that was not there before!).

Ann Taylor!

We headed to Ann Taylor at International Mall, where a gift card, the seventh puzzle piece and the next clue were waiting. With the help of Yvelise and Alissa, I picked out the outfit I would get engaged to the love of my life in—a beautiful pink lace skirt and a pink and white button down shirt.

And, of course, the next clue...

TooJays Deli!

We headed over there for lunch. By this time though, I was too freaked out to each much! Was he really doing what I think he was doing ?!

We were making some progress on the puzzle, too!

Time for the next clue...

There had to be a Gator...

The next place was off Channelside Drive, where there was a gator statue on the ground at a park. It was behind a Spanish cafe called The Columbia alongside a history museum.

I later learned that he had GPS tracking on Yvelise’s phone and was watching us live as we tried to find this clue!

Under the gator, there was the next puzzle piece along with the next clue...

The next clue...

Oriental Express!

Our favorite quick Chinese food place downtown. There, instead of a blue or silver bag, they handed me a Chinese food take out box!

Inside, there was a silver fortune cookie, a special message for me, the next puzzle piece, and another clue:

The next clue...

The L-O-Y-L, of course, being the Lizard of My Life, my Bearded Dragon, Amos. This clue led us back to my apartment...

Waiting for us at my apartment this time were roses guiding us to the final clue...

Under Amos...

We went inside and looked under the lizard of my life to find the eleventh puzzle piece...

And the last clue...

The puzzle was now complete...

The missing two words and the place to heads towards at 7:45 pm: That's Amore, a restaurant on Harbour Island...

Freaking out, I now knew that we needed to go to That’s Amore restaurant on Harbor Island at 7:45pm. I had plenty of time to shower, put on my new outfit, and unfortunately, hilariously spazz out after one of Adam’s friend who was in on this called Yvelise and I overheard.

At 7:30pm, we left my apartment and Yvelise and Alissa drove me over to That’s Amore and dropped me off! I felt much better once I saw my future handsome husband standing there outside the restaurant, patiently waiting for me.

I went over to him and we kissed and embraced, and he told me that he actually wasn’t really feeling like That’s Amore, and suggested we go to our favorite pizza place downtown, Eddie and Sam’s. Of course I said yes...

As we proceeded down to the water a boat pulled up, with the best man (and Adam’s best friend) Jeff as the captain, complete with a captains hat!

Adam helped me onto the boat, sat down next to me, and down the channel we went. We were not going the direction of Eddie and Sam’s, but I did not dare say anything! In fact, instead of going under the Platt Street Bridge toward downtown, we turned the opposite direction and went toward the Hillsborough Bay! We went past Tampa General Hospital, the sun just setting to the west, and then "The Gift" by Jim Brickman started to play. Adam took my hands, swiftly got on to one knee facing me, and started talking. He told me he loved me and how special I was to him, and I will always remember the story he told me.

When Adam was little, he went fishing with his grandfather, and kept pulling up the reel too quickly. He asked his grandfather how he would know when he had gotten something worth keeping—and his grandfather replied, “Adam, when you know, you know.”

The parallel was not lost on me, and Adam motioned for me to look toward the shore.

On the shore, the words "Melissa Will You Marry Me" glowed in teal and purple lights.

I turned back toward Adam to see that he had opened a blue box for me, and I heard him say those words out loud.

Of course I said YES—lest I get thrown overboard! Jeff pulled the boat to shore and several of our friends climbed aboard (including Yvelise and Alissa who did NOT, in fact, have to go home for a party!)! From somewhere secret on the boat, Adam pulled out various pizza pies from Eddie and Sam’s (we had it after all!), pink champagne, and chocolates from Schakolad with writing that said, “She Said Yes!”

We sailed around downtown Tampa, filling up with pink champagne and large cheesy slices of pizza with our friends. I fell asleep smiling in Adam’s arms that night, with a new sparkly addition to my left ring finger. I can confidently say that it was the best day of my life, until of course, December 9, 2017 occurs!