Hilary and Christopher Roman Engagement Announcement

Hilary Eaton, daughter of Lori Eaton of Rapid City, has become engaged to Christopher Roman, son of Jay and Joan Roman of Rapid City.

Saturday, September 5th 2020

Proposal

In June 2019 Chris and I were planning our trip to Houston Texas for one of my work conferences.  He was able to go with me and we were going to make a vacation out of it since neither of us has ever visited the state. It was also our first time traveling that far together so we were really looking forward to this new experience together.  

Houston was quite the experience, we truly loved visiting! The conference that we attended was a really great professional development experience, full of useful information, but the most fun we had was going to wonderful restaurants, walking downtown Houston, and, our favorite, tubing down to pool’s lazy river together! The pool and lazy river were outside on the 6th floor roof of the Marriot Hotel and overlooked an awesome park below. The glass pool was right on the edge where you could look directly down onto the little lake that was in the field and all the families playing, it was truly breathtaking. We spend many nights hanging out in the pool and cruising down the lazy river together. It was truly blissful spending so much quality time together and reconnecting. But one night our conversation took a different direction, Chris and I got on the topic of our wedding. First thing you should know, is that I knew Chris was going to propose sometime this summer but that he was waiting on a custom ring to be finished, but I just didn’t know when it would happen. We talked for hours and hours of what we would like our wedding to look like, who we would want to celebrate with, and the vibe we would go for. I loved talking about all the details of our future wedding together and our future lives in general. Especially knowing that he would propose sometime soon…but it didn’t happen on this trip. 

Chris and I had the most amazing time on our trip together but, like all vacations, it ended all too soon. Though we really had a great time reconnecting and getting away from the monotony that daily life can sometimes ensue. So, we returned back to Rapid City on a Sunday afternoon and I have to admit I was sad to be returning after all the fun we had. I definitely had the Monday Blues. But little did I know what was in store for me on Sunday, June 30th, 2019. That Sunday afternoon I returned home and was putting away my clothes and starting some laundry when Chris texted me and ask if I wanted to get together again. Since we just got home a few hours before I said that I was going to get some things done at home and that I would text him when I was free. 

Ok people, if I would have known what was coming, I definitely wouldn’t have waited as long as I did, buuuuut, I didn’t know! So, a few hours later I said I was free, and he came over to my apartment. We were chatting in my room for a while then he stops me and turns me towards him. In retrospect, he was acting really nervous and definitely like himself (I should have known something was off). I remember him telling me how much fun he had this trip together, how much he loved me, and that he wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. Then he pulled out the most beautiful ring I have ever seen. It was absolutely gorgeous and so very me! A few months before this I remember thinking out exactly what I would say when he proposed, but in the moment it all fled my mind. I was quiet for a few moments, memorized by the ring in front of me, and then I said, “Yeah! Of course!” 

Our engagement wasn’t any gigantic fanfare of flash mob – we didn’t want that and if you knew us it definitely isn’t our style. Instead, our engagement moment was beautiful, quiet, and intimate. Just like the way we are together. I will always remember that special moment with the happiness it brought both Chris and I, and the happiness it continues to bring as we start this next chapter in our adventure together. I cannot wait!

*Photos by Cadey Reisner Weddings*

How They Met

Did I ever anticipate that I would match with the love of my life on online dating? Not necessarily, but it was 2013 and Tinder was taking the world by storm. I remember laying around the house with my best friend as we both swiped through Tinder, making sure that we called dibs on the one’s we liked. I remember coming across Chris’ profile and instantly calling dibs while simultaneously swiping right, little did I know how significant that one dexterous movement would have upon my life. 

We chatted constantly on Tinder for about a week, but there was a pivotal day in which we both happened to be attending a wedding at the exact same time. When Chris told me this, my eyes immediately leapt off my screen and scoured the attendee’s looking for his face. I remember thinking, was this our serendipitous moment that we finally got to meet? But atlas, he was at a wedding 38 miles away – meeting him would have to wait. After another few days we finally gave each other our numbers to text instead of chat, and so he was dubbed “Chris Tinder” in my phone. When we exchanged numbers I officially deleted Tinder because I just knew there was something special about him and I didn’t feel like I needed to look any further. 

A few days passed by and we finally were able to set up a date since he was going to be in Rapid City. We scheduled our date on a warm, Saturday evening in August to meet at the Ale House. Of course, I spent the entire day getting ready and fretting about every minor detail of my appearance and clothing. And of course, was running late. I had to stop for cash at the ATM (because you don’t know if you are going to be paying for your own drinks or not!) and then Rapid City’s downtown parking was a nightmare. I was at least 20 minutes late and I felt TERRIBLE! So I was power walking from my distant parking spot to the Ale House and remember my heart beating out of my chest. I was so nervous! A million thoughts were running through my head but the most prominent thought that kept occurring, “Was he going to like me?”

I opened the door at full speed and remember instantly seeing him sitting at a front table with an empty beer glass in front of him (yeah, I was that late). I never believed the cliché’s before about getting stomach butterflies when finding “the one”, though I really wanted to! I just didn’t think it would happen for me. Instead, upon seeing him sitting there—BOOM, my stomach dropped to the floor. I felt like I was literally being punched in the stomach. I had a sharp intake of breath and everything! Just seeing Chris sitting there, in those brief moments, I knew something good was about to happen for me, for both of us. He just felt…different. I walked up to him and said, “Hey! How’s it going?” He smiled and all I could think was, “The wait is finally over”.

Six and a half years later, here we are and we’re proud to say that we found each other on a dating app, Tinder for the win!