Kara Eliason & Sean Dorsey
The Bride
Age: 31
Hometown: White Bear Lake, Minnesota
Occupation: Communications Manager at U.S. Bank
The Groom
Age: 35
Hometown: Apple Valley, Minnesota
Occupation: Senior Specialist, Asset Protection at Sleep Number
The Details
Engagement Date: Dec. 19, 2014
Wedding Date: June 18, 2016
Wedding / Reception Location: Lowertown Event Center, St. Paul
The Ring: An emerald-cut blue sapphire surrounded by baguette diamonds. I always wanted a unique engagement ring, and sapphire is my birthstone. Plus, Kate Middleton has one, so there’s that!
Our Story
I spent most of my twenties going on a series of bad dates. To branch out and avoid the dreaded bar scene, I decided to try online dating. Thank goodness I did! In the summer of 2012, Sean’s eHarmony profile caught my eye. We started exchanging messages, and after a few weeks, we had our first date on the rooftop of The Liffey in downtown St. Paul. Conversation came so naturally to us. We talked about everything from work to family and our shared love of “Friday Night Lights”—the greatest show on television. At the end of the date, I wanted to make it bluntly clear that I liked Sean. I stared at him straight in the eye, pointed at him and said, “You’d better call me.” Thankfully, he wasn’t freaked out by this, and he called me two days later. Sean and I had an amazing kiss after our third date at Moscow on the Hill, and that sealed it for me. We’ve been together ever since!
Engagement Story
When I thought about my ideal engagement, two words came to mind: special and intimate. I wanted the proposal to be just between the two of us. No crowds, cameras or jumbotrons! I also wanted it to feel more special than an average day. The thought of getting proposed to in sweatpants at home made me cringe. Luckily, Sean understood what I wanted and pulled off an amazing proposal.
After two years of dating, Sean and I had been talking seriously about marriage. I knew a proposal was coming, but I had no idea when or where Sean would do it. When the holiday season arrived, I suspected I would get a ring on Christmas Day. Sean threw me off by proposing the Friday before Christmas instead! Weeks before, I managed to score a dinner reservation at Spoon and Stable, which had just opened in our neighborhood. I got dressed up and figured it would just be a fun date night. But Sean had other plans. He called the restaurant earlier that day, so the whole staff was in on his plan. When we arrived, the hostess led us to an intimate table right next to the wine cellar. Our server was a total pro and didn’t give anything away. I didn’t realize something was up until Sean’s dinner came and he didn’t touch it. Sean loves meat, so I was worried he was sick! But he was just nervous. Sean planned to wait until dessert to pop the question, but he couldn’t hold off any longer. He pulled a small red box out of his pocket, showed me a beautiful sapphire ring and asked me to be his wife. I smiled and immediately said, “yes.”
Then the celebration began! The table next to us sent over champagne. Chef Gavin Kaysen congratulated us personally and told us we were the restaurant’s first engagement! He also encouraged us to come back every year for our anniversary and sit at the same table. That’s something I’m looking forward to—but not as much as spending a lifetime with an amazing guy like Sean.
