Washington Island, Door County Proposal: Mary + Teo

Teo reached out to me about a month before he planned to propose to his girlfriend of nine years, Mary. They live in Illinois, but had planned to make a trip up to Door County for the weekend, along with their seven-year-old son, Vincent. Teo actually had the ring hidden in his safe for about six years, waiting for the perfect time to propose. 

When I asked for more information about the two of them, Teo gushed about Mary, explaining she can make friends with anyone and goes out of her way to support all of her family members. Teo painted a beautiful picture of how wonderful Mary is. Teo’s vision for proposing on Washington Island was to take Mary to the historic Stavkirke, the chapel modeled after the original chapel built in Norway. 

On the day of the proposal, we coordinated the ferry schedule, and made sure to keep the plans of the day a secret from Mary. As they walked up to the church, Mary was in awe of how beautiful the craftsmanship was. Expertly carved panels, stoic dragonheads, and the amazing bell tower created an inspiring backdrop as Teo pulled Mary in front of the church and quietly shared some very sweet words with her, before he knelt on one knee and asked her to marry him. 

Teo had put the ring inside of a beautiful purple (Mary’s favorite color!) geode. The stunning vintage ring with a pear shaped diamond provided a stunning contrast to the dark wear and tear of the chapel behind them. Vincent had known this was going to happen, but kept it a secret, until that very moment when he held out the sign Teo had made for him to hold: “My mom and dad are finally getting married!” Hikers watching around them clapped and cheered congratulations as Mary said yes! 

We took some pictures around the grounds with just Teo and Mary, and then the three of them as a family. They were looking forward to celebrating their engagement in Sister Bay and the rest of Door County that weekend. 

Teo and Mary, we wish you a lifetime of happiness! I am so honored to be apart of Teo’s plans and your special day, and I know you have a love that is going to last a lifetime. 

Much love and appreciation, 

Kate