A Holiday Engagement Story

Hi! My name is Christa Dunlevy. 

What began as a crazy spring break getaway in Panama City Beach, FL turned into one of the most monumental events of our lives.

Eddie (McHale) and I met in THE most unlikely place to find your future bride or groom. We spotted each other from across a crowded bar and our eyes met (cheesy, I know, but it REALLY happened). We spent the rest of the week together enjoying the beach, getting to know each other, going on our first date to Waffle House, and I quickly learned that this wasn’t just a one-week fling. 

After the fun had ended, we knew we were up against the odds considering we would be living six hours away from each other. I was moving to Pittsburgh, PA for graduate school and he was living in Indianapolis, IN. But we were ready for the challenge. After two years of endlessly traveling back and forth and back and forth and back and forth, we finally had the opportunity to live in the same city, Cincinnati, OH, Eddie’s hometown and my birth place (finally!). 

Two years and two dogs later, on Christmas night (my absolute favorite time of the year), Eddie got down on one knee and proposed to me in the middle of what will be our new living room with Christmas lights and Christmas music surrounding us. It was so romantic and intimate (especially when we watched "Frozen" afterwards, haha!).

We were the only two people in the world that knew (he’s amazing; he picked the ring out by himself, no help from anyone). We cherished that moment and decided to tell all of our friends and family in person over the next couple of days. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life, and I’ve never cried so many tears of happiness as much as I did that night.

Eddie and I have been through one heck of an adventure over the past four-and-a-half years, and I can’t wait to continue the adventure with my future husband (ahhhh, I love being able to say that!).