Jacqueline Gonzalez, marketing and administrative director for Ars Lyrica, and Jason Altobelli, Texas sales director for Appian Corp., met through an online dating site in November 2012, but it wasn't until a romantic camping trip in the Texas Hill Country that Jason dropped to his knee and presented the absolutely unsuspecting Jacqueline with a ring.
Jason had suggested the couple take a break from their daily grind with a hiking adventure and one-night camp out at Colorado Bend State Park followed by a more comfortable night in one of Fredericksburg's charming B&Bs.
On arrival in the park, they headed to the appointed campsite, put up the tent, put on their hiking boots and off they went.
The couple had been hiking for a while and both were dusty and sweaty, according to Jacqueline, when they reached the beautiful and beautifully romantic Gorman Falls. There, Jason began his testimonial of lasting love, dropped to one knee and pulled the wedding ring box from beneath the cowboy hat he had been wearing during the hike.
Jacqueline recalls that she began crying, "ugly crying," and whaling to such an extent that a nearby hiker ran over to see if she was alright.
Jacqueline recalls that she began crying, "ugly crying," and whaling to such an extent that a nearby hiker ran over to see if she was alright. Good timing as the hiker was able to snap a few photos of the happy, despite the tears, couple.
Jacqueline and Jason hiked back to the campsite, spent the night and then hiked again the next morning. While she might have thought that the ring event was the highlight, the romance continued.
When they checked into the B&B in a sexy all-red room, Jason had arranged for a bouquet of red roses with red ribbon on the bedside table and a calligraphy note that read, "My Darling, Thank you for choosing me. May the rest of our years together be as blessed and alive with passion as we are at this moment. All my love, your future husband, Jason."
The couple has set a May wedding date at Old Glory Ranch in Wimberley.
