Brian proposed to Marla during a giant NYC blizzard this past January with a custom rose cut moissanite ring that we created for her. Here Marla shares one of her favorite relationship traditions, and the moment she "just kinda knew this was right."
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"We both work in the entertainment business, and I had a long career as one of those lunatic TV producer types in my 20s. One of the best perks of working in a business that punishes your dreams by working you like a rented mule is that you meet some great people and they throw ridiculous parties. One such party is the Halloween Party At The Frying Pan- an annual tradition where bonkers, elaborate costumes meet giant outdoor fire pit meet reclaimed (and docked) party boat. If you were a nerdy kid who didn't get invited to cool high school parties growing up, and you always wanted to go to one in the movies, this is the party that made you feel like you had arrived.
The first year I took Brian was 2009 after roughly a year and a half of dating. He was reticent to go because the Yankees were playing game 3 of the World Series that night, but I assured him there would be a place to watch the game, and a fun group of people to watch it with, so he agreed. After waiting till the very last minute on costumes, and finding inspiration in a couple of hideous wigs, we painted a mustache on me using an eyeliner pencil, and headed over to the party as 70s buddy cop detectives. What we were greeted with was anything but the "large screen projection" we were promised, and instead a tiny standard definition television propped up on several crates in one of the ship's inner rooms. But it didn't matter, the room quickly began to fill with hilariously costumed former and current coworkers- quickly surpassing the old couch and available folding chairs and packing the space around our broken air hockey table-turned beer holder. The more people we crammed into the small room and around the TV, the more exciting the game began to feel. During a break in the action, Brian got up to get another round of beer for us, and my friend Bob eagerly jumped onto the couch, occupying the vacated seat.
"Brian, is it?" He said to me, a grown man clad in a giant hotdog costume topped with a weathered and worn Yankees cap.
"Yeah. He's great, isn’t he?"
"You're totally going to marry that guy and have hilarious, curly haired kids. He's perfect for you."
And in that moment, it all sounded pretty damn great.
So here we are, almost 6 years after that conversation on the couch. The Yankees won, I convinced Brian to attend an annual party that has involved him dressing like a (lawn ornament) gnome, super hero, and an 80s metal god. And most importantly, I got him to dance to a bunch of pop songs he absolutely hates AND LOVE IT. And that's pretty much our relationship in a nutshell- we kind of roll with the absurdities of life- whether it be our jobs (we work together- that's another story) keeping us up till 2am on a Connecticut Indian Casino, or trying to figure out a party that will destroy our combined life's savings. This works because we are in it together, and constantly coming up with new ways to make the other laugh about how crazy it all is."
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Marla's Ring // White Gold and Rose Cut Moissanite