BrauchTalk

M and I recently celebrated our one year anniversary in July. Before the big day came, we discussed what we were going to do for one another as far as gifts. I was pretty nervous about trying to find a suitable gift for M. A one year anniversary is a big thing, and I wanted to get him something really special. I think M was pretty much in the same boat as me. So finally after talking about our plans, we decided that instead of buying gifts for each other, we would go away for the weekend and celebrate by just having time with each other. And what was even better was that I had no say in any of it. M planned a surprise weekend getaway for our one year anniversary, and it was the best thing we could have done!

It’s hard to believe that M was able to keep a secret from me for as long as he did. Usually he’s the one who can’t wait to open Christmas presents, so we open them a week early. When he gets excited about something, he usually wants to tell me right away. So when the day came we were leaving for our anniversary trip, and I still hadn’t heard a peep about what we were doing, I was pretty impressed. The only thing M had informed me was that I would never be able to guess one of the activities he had planned. It was so exciting to be going somewhere and have no clue about where we were going to stay and what we were going to do.

We drove a couple hours to our first destination, and M was right, I never would have guessed what we would be doing! He had planned a three hour segway tour around our destination city. To be honest, I was really skeptical at first. I knew M was Mr. Technology and it didn’t surprise me the activity he had planned. But soon after we got comfortable on our segways and touring the city, it turned out to be such a blast! We drove on bike trails around the river, crossed bridges, toured a little bit of the city, and had a little off-roading time. It was so much fun! Afterwards, I had to apologize to M for being a little unsure about the whole segway thing, because it turned out to be a great time. It was one of those things that I would never choose to do for myself, but M broke me out of my comfort zone and I actually found it to be enjoyable. It was really fun being able to enjoy a new experience together.

At this point, we still hadn’t checked into our hotel. M told me he had reserved a room at a hotel that was on an island in the middle of the river. Hearing that alone sounded exciting! And as soon as we walked into the hotel, I knew he had to have paid a pretty penny for it too! It was very ritzy. Our room was really fancy. It had a Sleep Number bed in it, and we had fun playing with that. We both set our sides to zero and woke up with backaches, but it was a blast. I never would have chosen to stay at a hotel that nice, but it was just another new experience for us to have together, and I was so impressed that he was able to pick something so nice and special for the weekend.

On top of that, we ate at new places and went for a walk downtown in the city, which was a place I had never been. There were so many unique places that I had never seen before.

The next morning before we left the hotel, M had planned a five-course brunch for us to go to. This, by far, was the biggest stretch for me. I was not used to being served such elegant food in such an elegant setting. It was one of those situations in which you don’t know which fork to use. Despite the fact of feeling a little awkward, I enjoyed it very much.

M and I exchanged cards. Of course, I started crying before I even started to read the one he got for me. He had totally blown me away with what he had planned for the weekend, and the fact that he picked everything out himself made me feel so special. The weekend was just about as magical as our wedding day. Everything seemed so new and exciting, and even more exciting because I was experiencing it with the man I love. I wouldn’t trade that weekend with him for any gift we could have bought for each other.

If you’ve got a special day coming up, I’d definitely consider having a surprise getaway. It definitely won my heart all over again. There is nothing better than making memories with the person you love. Trying new things together will only draw you even closer. And who knows, maybe you’ll start a tradition! Maybe next year I’ll be the one surprising M. There are so many possibilities besides buying gifts. I’m so glad that M looked outside of the box to celebrate our first anniversary together.