It is with ENORMOUS excitement, and my heart swelling over with love, that I announce my engagement to Alexander Nicholas Yates.

After being together for a year, Alex created the most magical weekend imaginable and proposed on the Coronado beach overlooking the gorgeous San Diego skyline. Little did I know at the time, that overlooking us on the beach, at the nearby Beach and Bay Restaurant, were his family and friends and my closest friends, there to witness the magical moment. :)

Alex lead up to the enchanting weekend early last week by slyly, on his way to work, leaving me a poem, lovely CDs of romantic music and a handsome amount of money to buy myself a beautiful new dress. His poem alluded to an "engaging weekend," and said he would be whisking me away to a San Diego bayside resort on Friday evening after work. The rest of his magical plan remained a secret until Saturday...

On Friday night, after taking in the festive holiday lights and entertainment at "Christmas on the Prado" in beautiful Balboa Park, we went to a local lounge bar called NuNu's for a drink with our friend John.
Alex and I actually met at NuNu's early November of last year...he and I share a mutual friend, whom had invited us both to Happy Hour. After reminiscing about our first encounter and the year that followed, we headed to the amazing, historic and incredibly beautiful Hotel Del Coronado where we were booked for the weekend.

Hotel Del is over 100 years old, incredibly gorgeous, has been featured in classic films such as Marilyn Monroe's Some Like it Hot, and has welcomed stays by numerous Presidents from Benjamin Harrison, William Taft and FDR to Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and many others.

Our elegant suite was complete with a basket of candles, chocolates and champagne on ice...

Saturday morning began with total indulgence. Alex booked me a complete spa package...from an hour-long massage to body wrap and body scrub to pamper me and ease away any tensions...

Then off to lunch at the lovely Beach and Bay Restaurant (little did I know it was foreshadowing for what would later transpire there...)

Preparations for the big night began early as I had to be ready by 5 p.m. sharp. I slipped into a lovely black and deep maroon, Asian-style dress, and Alex donned a stunning three-piece Oscar de le Renta suit.

A short taxi ride downtown dropped us off at an awaiting Cinderella ball horse-drawn carriage. The romantic carriage ride toured us through historic downtown San Diego, and dropped us off at the awaiting Coronado Ferry boat, which until that evening I had never taken.

The night was so clear, cool and beautiful; the city skyline sparkled across the calm bay as we slid through the water headed back to Coronado Island, where our car awaited.

I thought we were heading to his car, so when he steered me toward the beach I was surprised to find glowing red candle bags surrounding a red blanket on the beach. This was it! He asked me to sit down...

Getting down on one knee, Alex professed his love for me and his desire to have children together and for us to spend the rest of our lives together. I was overwhelmed with emotion! Then he asked me to marry him. Through tears of excitement and pure, uncontainable love and joy, I said yes. He slipped the most elegant, beautiful, sparkling ring I have ever seen onto my left ring finger. That's when I noticed the flash bulbs popping!

My dearest friends Andrew and Sharlynn had set up the candles and blanket and were hiding nearby, ready to capture the moment on film!

Not only that -- but Alex's entire family (save for Alex's older brother Jacob who lives on the East Coast), and closest family friends the Swensruds and McDaniels (aka his other two surrogate moms) were eating dinner at the Restaurant watching the whole event unfold! A bottle of champagne awaited us! (Jacob was there in spirit, with a picture attached to a yardstick, welcoming me to their family! :)

I felt certain the evening was complete and we would have dinner there -- but NO! There was more in store...after a couple glasses of champagne and many hugs, we departed the restaurant and headed to the Loew's hotel on the harbor where a gondola ride awaited us...

It was so beautiful, romantic and serene riding onboard an authentic Italian-style gondola, complete with musician, sliding through the gentle bay waters. All of the water-side homes were adorned in beautiful holiday lights and the setting was unbelievably romantic. We sipped an amazing bottle of champagne (a gift from our dear friend Hoce) and ate chocolate covered strawberries...the moment was completely magical.

After the romantic ride, we headed back to the Del Coronado for an amazing, luxurious dinner of steak and lobster at one of the fanciest restaurants in San Diego called "The Prince of Wales."

While we were dining in luxury, many of our closest friends were gathering at Babcock and Story, the Del's upscale bar, where Alex once again surprised me. After dinner we went to the bar and many of our closest friends were there to share the moment, toasting and congratulating us on our engagement!

I can not begin to tell you how special and amazing this weekend was for me. It was the most romantic and memorable evening of my life...Alex treats me a like a princess...he IS my Prince Charming!

I love Alex with all my heart and am so excited about sharing my life with him. This has been the best year of my life, and I know that many more incredible years will follow.

We are planning to wed in Costa Rica (date and exact local TBD) in Spring 2007. We are planning a trip there this Spring to scout out locations.

I don't yet have photos from this weekend, but for those who have yet to meet my dear Alex, attached is a recent photograph of us from a visit to the Zoo.

This holiday season has already been the most memorable of my life!

All my Love,
Sharon Dewar (soon to be Yates :)

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A Poem by John Gibson

A poem by our good friend John that he read to us at the Hotel Del. Thank you John!

Alex and Sharon

It's such a joy to see two people who are so simply and elegantly right for each other.
A union which is beautiful without shaping and straining.
The flower doesn't have to tell the sun when to give it light or how much.
The sun doesn't choreograph the flower to pose and bloom for its pleasure.
There is no practice and negotiation between a dog and its tail.
The bird doesn't demand contract or compensation for its song.
The colors of the sunset don't need convincing.
The Earth doesn't tire of rotating, or question its reliability and lack of novelty.
For these things we are grateful
And we will enjoy seeing your love continue to be one of these things.