When Zach Sanders, 25, of Hoisington, Kansas, asked his 23-year-old girlfriend, Kynnedy Myers of Wichita to come with him to Eureka Springs for Labor Day weekend, she had no idea he was about to propose. Nor did she imagine what tricks and deceptions he had up his sleeve… and down his sock, as it turned out.
Zach had decided three months earlier he wanted to propose but wanted the moment to be a complete surprise on a special date in an awesome setting. He soon found VS Events’ luxe event designer, Amy Redmon, online at ourdreamdate.com and eventually picked the ‘Summer Song’ Dream Date from her catalog. While getting to know him by phone, Amy discovered Zach was being deployed in the near future, and Kynnedy, who was due to begin teaching kindergarten this year, had a love for all things Disney. That’s all Amy needed to hear.
“I had just staged a Cinderella style shoot at the Queen Anne Mansion,” Amy said, “and had all the props for their dream date, right down to the glass slipper on a pillow.”
Meanwhile, Zach discovered Eureka Springs lodgings were booked up for Labor Day, and none of them had quite the ambiance he wanted. Amy referred him to her ultimate fairytale location, the Queen Anne, but it wasn’t yet officially open for overnight stays. However, business owner Ann Gray had a soft spot for romance and, once in on the secret, was happy to open just for them.
“I thought we were staying at a small Airbnb,” Kynnedy said.” Instead, she got a castle for two.
“Zach kept the surprise by telling me on the way to Eureka Springs our Airbnb was actually booked and he had waited to tell me because didn’t want me to freak out trying to find a new place to stay with the busyness of Labor Day weekend. He told me when we got to the Queen Anne that the reason we got to stay there was that we could do the resort a favor by taking advertisement pictures for them. And I completely believed it!”
Saturday night’s Dream Date took place in the stately courtyard which had been decorated for summer romance with hints of Disney everywhere, and a table for two set with champagne and a sumptuous dinner. A short distance away, singer/songwriter Kurt Hunter played for the couple throughout the evening.
A page in an antique typewriter on the set read “one shoe can change a life,” in reference to Cinderella. But Kynnedy still didn’t suspect what was coming until Zach walked her over to look at the courtyard fountain, got down on one knee, pulled a ring out of his sock and proposed.
“He’s not a romantic person,” Kynnedy said, “so I never imagined the way he was going to propose would have been so romantic. I have truly been in shock and felt like I was in a dream. I have never stayed somewhere so amazing in my life. I wish I could stay forever.”
During their stay, the couple explored downtown Eureka Springs and went hiking and canoeing. But their favorite part, according to Kynnedy, was just spending time together at the Queen Anne. “There is so much detail that goes into the history behind the mansion and it truly has my jaw dropped. It is by far the most breathtaking and romantic place I have ever been,” she said.
Mission accomplished. Zach had high marks for Amy’s Our Dream Date service. “I couldn’t have pulled off my girlfriend’s dream proposal without Amy. One of the best parts of our stay was the quality people I got the chance to meet and work with while setting up the weekend. We were amazed at the hospitality we received during our stay. People were truly invested in making sure we had a vacation of a lifetime.”
Zach and Kynnedy plan on a wedding in 2022. Meanwhile, Kynnedy says they’ll be coming back to visit. “This place holds a special place in our hearts now. We can’t wait to bring our [future] kids here and tell them all about the most romantic and beautiful vacation we have ever had.”