After three years of dating, and over seven years of friendship, Timothy Chee and Candice Catherine finally tied the knot.
YouTube
But not without the most romantic proposal we’ve ever seen!
Over the course of the 1,000+ days that the couple dated, Tim sent Candice 14 hand-written love letters.
In a time where relationships tend to be forced, or expected to form over night, Tim and Candice’s love story is different.
Here’s a guy who was patient in growing in their friendship first and then slowly asking her to marry him over three years, letter by letter. In a culture that’s constantly seeking instant gratification and the huge production of an Instagram-perfect proposal, it’s endearing to see a man do it in this step-by-step, slow and steady kind of way. It’s more in alignment with God’s character and relationship with us, and reflects what Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
As an old mentor of mine once said, we’re kind of like a microwaving people in the hands of a marinating God. But not Tim. He took his time, and his proposal embodies what we know to be True: Love is patient, and love is kind.
Tim Chee
Candice says that she and Tim never lived very far away from each other during their time dating, but they always enjoyed sending letters back and forth, “because the idea of having our hearts poured out in the form of paper meant we had tangible memories to look back on,” she explained.
Little did the 25-year-old know, Tim had hidden a secret code within his letters.
“He sat me down in the living room with all the letters that he had written to me on the table. We read them out one by one reliving the memories of our dating years. After we read all of them he then carefully arranged the letters and asked me to look at them.”
Each of the love notes started with a unique capital letter. When placed together, the capital letters spelled out “will you marry me.”
YouTube
Once she recognized what Tim had done, Candice said she burst into tears.
“I am very difficult to surprise so this totally caught me off guard!”
The couple got married in June, and Tim performed a song at their wedding that he had written just two months into their dating relationship. This man knew from the start he met the woman he would call his wife.
Tim Chee
Judging by Tim’s never-ending surprises, patient love and sweep-you-off-your feet kinda style, we’re believing for these two to live a long and happy life together. Congrats to this beautifully inspiring couple! 💍 ??
