Lobster gnocchi, champagne, a band. Oh, my!

Boyfriend and I had been dating four years as of last Friday. Fours years is a long time, and we were going to celebrate, but he was very secretive about our dinner location. (He knew dinner would make me happy because I love food more than anything. Possibly more than him and my cat.)

On the night of said event, he drove us to the Gulch in Nashville to Sambuca – a restaurant whose clientele you could tell immediately by the shiny, red Ferrari parked at the valet station. As we walked inside, we were met by a server and our hostess, a posh blonde with Dolly Partonesque attributes and a tiny dress.

They led us into the restaurant with a sweeping, mansion-like staircase, red walls, couches, black seats and curtained off, half-circle shaped booths with pillows. Sambuca had an amazing ambiance, like music, and I imagined how it would look if goth music pumped and they filled the place with vampire extras for a movie. The dim lamps on the walls glowed. So did I.

We began with a unique spin on brushetta, moved on the main course (a chicken pistachio pesto for him, a lobster gnocchi for me) and then, ordered dessert. We ordered a sopapilla stuffed with cheesecake, and it came with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. I was debating on coffee, or the devilish wedding cake martini on the dessert list, when Boyfriend suggested a glass of champagne with dessert. Liking the bubbly, I agreed.

Little did I know that he had ulterior motives. The dessert came. The champagne came. We toasted our anniversary, took a sip and set down our glasses. Then, I saw it; a diamond ring sparkling from the bottom of the glass. I beamed, half laughed, and Boyfriend scooted out of the bench to propose. The band announced that I said yes. Everything was perfect.

In the last week, people have congratulated us, but also said they admired how we waited. We went to college, got careers off the ground and did everything (to quote a friend) on our own terms. So, if you’re ready to get engaged or married because everyone else is doing it, don’t. If you’re doing it for love and you’re ready, great. Spend a lot of time shopping for rings. Start planning the wedding early enough that you aren’t stressed. Don’t drive everyone crazy. Start calling your boyfriend your fiance. Eat the lobster gnocchi.

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