"I could tell you the price of every engagement ring in the state," laughed likeable William Smith. "We went shopping over and over—even with Tiffany’s mother."
"My mom dragged me out there," said Tiffany between laughs. "It was her fault."
The couple had recently returned from Jamaica and the tropical honeymoon glow was still pretty bright.
Tiffany—pretty, blonde and very sweet—confessed to a long proposal campaign. "I bugged him for a year. We had talked about marrying but never finalized it. He kept saying the same thing…"
"It will happen, it will happen," added William laughing.
Finally it did happen. On the evening of Nov. 30, 2008, William invited Tiffany out. She thought they were celebrating her upcoming birthday.
The two felt they had always known each other. "We went to middle school together and then Patrick Henry High in Ashland," pointed out Tiffany, cherished daughter of Linda and Jeff Layne and little sister to brother Tim.
"I was two years ahead of Tiffany," added William, son of Wilma and Sam Smith of Ruther Glen, and brother to siblings Trey and Crystal. "I’m good friends with Tim."
"I asked her out in her freshman year but she had a boyfriend," continued William, who then waited patiently for two years for the first date.
"We went to Olive Garden," said Tiffany. The two became exclusive even after graduation when William left to study at The Advanced Technical Institute in Virginia Beach. "I’m a welder," explained the young man, who now works at Service Machine in Ashland where Tiffany’s father is the General Manager. "It’s the best job I’ve ever had."
Tiffany, who works at MinnieLand Day Care Center, couldn’t hide the pride in her face.
Despite the seemingly endless jewelry store trips with Tiffany, William was working on a proposal scenario. He purchased a ring and headed to Things Remembered. "I had a heart-shaped box engraved with ‘TFS’, which would be Tiffany’s married initials."
William placed the engagement ring inside the engraved box and then tucked both into a gift box. "I already asked her parents for their blessing," he recalled.
"I’m shocked my mother kept it a secret," laughed Tiffany.
A gentle rain was falling when the two set out. "I noticed he was carrying a shopping bag from Things Remembered and thought it was a birthday gift," recalled Tiffany. "In the car, he made me keep my eyes closed. Ten minutes later we were at Lewis Ginter Garden."
The rain held visitors at bay so the lovers had the wonderland to themselves. Magically, the rain stopped and the radiance of the holiday lights illuminated the pathways as William searched for the perfect spot.
At last they came upon the Rose Garden. Moved by the beauty of the rain-kissed sight, Tiffany started taking photos; William took out the special gift box and set it on a bench.
"What’s in that, William?" asked
Tiffany turning around.
She opened it to see the heart-shaped box within. "My first reaction was that the initials were wrong. I said, "William, you can’t do that—we’re not married’."
William dropped to his knee. "So, do you want to be?" he asked.
She did—and he did— and on Sept. 4th the couple tied the knot at Longdon Farm, William’s parents’ home.
"At first, we planned to marry in 2011. But finally—I said I couldn’t wait!" laughed Tiffany.
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