We had an incredible trip through Europe planned—starting in London and ending in Rome. What Stephanie didn’t know was that I had a ring hidden in a secret backpack pocket the entire time. The suspense nearly ended early when Italian immigration officers decided to search my bag right in front of her! Thankfully, she sat down before they got to it.

One of our stops was Lake Como, where I had reserved the gardens of Villa del Balbianello—famous as the wedding location of Anakin & Padmé in Star Wars and a scene in Casino Royale. On the big day, the winds were hitting 40 mph, the boat was canceled, and we had to hike 30 minutes to get there. To make matters trickier, Stephanie was coming down with a cold and wanted to cancel the “tour” I claimed we had booked. What she didn’t know was that two photographers, private gardens, and a chilled bottle of prosecco were waiting for her.

When we arrived at our private table, she thought we were just taking a quick break—until I got down on one knee. Through the wind, the surprise, and a few happy tears, she said “yes,” making every twist and turn of that day absolutely perfect.