Melissa Dake and Jody Flaget, both of Waterville, Wash., plan to be married June 27 in the Rose Garden at Leif Erikson Park in Duluth.
Her parents are Jim and Pat Dake of Cloquet. His mother is Barbara Schmidt of Waterville.
The future bride, a 1997 graduate of Cloquet High School, graduated from Bemidji State University in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in elementary education. She is a teacher for the Eastmont School District in East Wenatchee, Wash.
The future groom, a 1996 graduate of Waterville High School, graduated from Grand Canyon University in Arizona in 2007 with a master's degree in education. He served in the Marine Corps from 1996-2004 and is a teacher for Waterville School District.
Convincing the family
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I met Jody while we were both living in Barstow, Calif., and teaching at Fort Irwin Middle School. We've been dating for five years.
Jody proposed to me while coming home from our annual Thanksgiving trip to Oregon. His mother was with us and when she heard, her first words were "It's about time!"
I waited until I saw my family over Christmas to tell them the great news. When I showed my mother the ring and told her we were finally going to get married, she thought it was a joke! I had to explain that it was a real ring and diamond before she believed me!
Melissa Dake
