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Marriage Proposals

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Comment Diversions | Comments (121)

the_proposal01.jpg

Our girl dammitjanet is getting married on the 25th, and she was aiming to use the diversions for some wedding music and food advice. And as much as I’d like to help out, we’ve unfortunately already covered almost every wedding angle at this point. So, dammitjanet, future bride and grooms, and wedding planners alike, if you ever need some advice in putting together the proper wedding, allow us to point you toward: Great quotes for your wedding vows, great meals, and the best reception music. Unless we delve into floral arrangements or how to deal with your in-laws, we’ve pretty much exhausted wedding-related diversions. So, please offer your congrats to dammitjanet on her impending nuptials.

And, though we have covered weddings, there’s one aspect of matrimony that we have yet to explore: The Proposal. And I’ll say this right off the bat: On Main Street in Disneyland, with musical accompaniment, seems like one of the worst ideas in the world to me:

So, for the married among you, what’s your story? I performed the feat in Paris. I’d considered the Eiffel Tower, but that was way too cheesy and touristy (plus, I’m terrified of heights), and I almost pulled the trigger in the French cemetery where Jim Morrison is buried, but that was way too morbid. So, naturally, I waited until just the right moment: While we were arguing in our Paris apartment across from the Notre Dame.

You’ll never find a more romantic way to end an argument.









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Comments

Oh, Schmaris. The Kingdom is Magic. MAGIC!

Posted by: Jay at July 14, 2009 9:03 PM

I propose that you all give me lots of money and jewels and shit.

That is all.

Posted by: Jo 'Mama' Besser at July 14, 2009 9:09 PM

Dustin, why did you subject us to that vomitrocious video? Gah.

In early 2003 we were sitting on the couch, like you do, and a thought came to me, which I immediately verbalized, as is my wont:
"You know what March 3 of this year will be?"
"Uh...Tuesday?"
"On March 3 we'll have been together for ten years."
"Wow."
"Yeah...We should do something [by which I meant, we should go to a restaurant or something of that nature]."
"How about we go to Vegas and get married?"
"Okay."
I am the luckiest woman in the gorram world.

Posted by: Jerce at July 14, 2009 9:10 PM

I think Morrison's grave would have been cool.

My husband secretly arranged with my boss to send me home early on a Friday. When I arrived, I followed a trail of candles to find him waiting for me on bended knee. Then he took me to a fancy schmancy dinner. It was sweet and lovely and I was very surprised.

Posted by: Cindy at July 14, 2009 9:12 PM

Our story:

My fiance Matt and I went to Fort Lauderdale for a weekend away. We decided to catch a movie our first night there. Once had just come out in limited release, and we'd heard great things about it, so we found a theater that was showing it. And it was great, as I'm sure most of you are aware.

After the movie, we're heading back to our hotel, and Matt realizes that he's lost his cell phone. So we double back to the theater, which has closed. Luckily, some employees are there, and let us in to look. So we're searching the theater, and as we're crawling around, I hear the soundtrack to the movie starting to play - specifically, "Falling Slowly." I look up, and on the screen is the movie's slogan - "How Often Do You Find the Right Person," and then the answer, "Once." I look over at Matt, and he drops to his knee, and I start to bawl. I couldn't even see the ring as he put it on my finger.

He had set the whole thing up, from suggesting Fort Lauderdale (because he knew Once would be playing there) to making the slideshow of the slogan to getting the soundtrack for the projectionist to play and organizing everything with the movie theater management. And, of course, his cell phone was on him the entire time.

Posted by: MelBivDevoe at July 14, 2009 9:14 PM

What a delightful sweet story, MelBivDevoe, and what a wonderful memory for you always!

But you realize that if this Level 10 Schemer ever decides to cheat on you, you will be utterly clueless...

Posted by: Jerce at July 14, 2009 9:21 PM

Hubs waited four months after he got the ring (an heirloom that is HUGE) until we got to San Francisco, the place of my childhood, and my favorite place in the world: The Palace of Fine Arts. He did this because of the movie So I Married an Axe Murderer (it's featured in the date scene - "Come, Nadia, let us dance like children of the night"). And yes, I knew that's why he chose that particular location, and yes, that's why we're married.

We also screened the movie in the background of our wedding reception.

Posted by: Tammy at July 14, 2009 9:25 PM

I'm laughing so hard, Jerce, and Matt's sitting right next to me going, "What? What's so funny?"

Posted by: MelBivDevoe at July 14, 2009 9:26 PM

Mr. Kolby and I got engaged in December, 2005. We were on a Christmas shopping trip to Orlando, and Mr. Kolby surprised me while we were there with a hotel room at the Portofino Bay Resort and dinner. I was in a rotten mood the whole day because the overnight stay meant I would miss my company's Christmas party. I behaved like a total wench all day. After we checked into our room, we went down to the harbor the hotel is built around to look at the giant Christmas tree there. We took a picture and I realized we were going to be late for dinner. I took off walking toward the restaurant, leaving Mr. Kolby behind. As I neared the door, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to find Mr. Kolby on one knee, nervously asking me to marry him. I was completely taken by surprise, and after I said yes, I felt so guilty for making his day shitty. Turned out he intended to ask me under the Christmas tree after our picture (he wanted to so a "before" and "after" thing), but I ruined it when I ran away toward the restaurant.

Oh well. At least I know I'll never forget that night!

Posted by: Kolby at July 14, 2009 9:29 PM

Aw, how sweet! I love both Jerce and Mel's stories. You lucky dames.

I always told my ex that I wanted a completely ordinary proposal that I couldn't see coming, like when I was unloading the dishwasher on a Tuesday night. He made it about halfway; he bought the ring I'd picked out from the boutique where I'd worked for a couple of years in the past. I knew he had it, and he knew that I knew. Everyone knew: friends, family, colleagues. I used to sneak it out of the safe while he was in the shower and try it on in the mirror, like the giant dorkface that I am. We all sat and waited for the big moment.

Six months after he bought it, on the day after Valentine's Day, he dumped me in an email, telling me he wasn't in love with me anymore. I packed up my stuff that afternoon and moved out of the house. I'm pretty sure he still has the ring.

Posted by: Nicole at July 14, 2009 9:34 PM

Aww.. Way to go Janet.
I was once part of a proposal that was pretty nice.
One of my fraternity brothers was going to propose to his girlfriend, and she didn't know he was in town but he had it all planned out.
He got a bunch of us to dress up and carry candles and roses to her sorority house. It was Christmastime so we thought we'd pretend to be caroling and then drop the news on her.
So we show up and we sing some classic carols before switching to our fraternity's "Sweetheart Song" (We're a singing fraternity, we have songs, it's what we do. I'm kinda talented.), and on the last verse we all parted and he walked through with a bouquet and the ring as we all dropped to one knee simultaneously and pulled out the roses on the last note. It was beautiful.
Plus, half the sorority was there that night. You could almost hear their panties melting.

Posted by: Optimus Rhyme at July 14, 2009 9:36 PM

P.S. - Tammy, that is awesomesauce. Kolbs, you're kind of my hero.

Posted by: Nicole at July 14, 2009 9:37 PM

It was in my future MiL's kitchen. Actually, that's just when I presented the engagement ring, which she didn't know I'd finally paid for, so there was that surprise, but we'd picked it out together, so ... I honestly can't remember saying, "Will you marry me?"

Sorry to be so boring.

*slinks into corner*

Posted by: , (the commenter formerly known as bucdaddy) at July 14, 2009 9:40 PM

When I was in college (UCF - Orlando), Garth Brooks was at the pinnacle of his career and had tour dates in several Florida cities. I really wanted to go, but my BF (who lived in Daytona Beach) wouldn't allow me to take a chance at waiting in line for tickets (safety issues and all that) and, of course, they sold out over the phone in a matter of minutes. So, what does any normal, mature, college-aged person do? She thows a great big temper tantrum. And to make matters worse, he wouldn't dream of letting me call the complete strangers who were scalping tickets through the school newspaper (potential rapists, dontcha know). So, I continued the hissy fit for a couple of weeks. Then, one weekend I drove to Daytone to spend the weekend with him and when I walked into his apartment, he handed me a greeting card that had two Garth Brooks' tickets inside. As I looked at him all befuddled, he told me had something he wanted me to wear to the concert - and he handed me a ring.

Actually, that was the second proposal - the one that stuck. I don't really remember the first proposal. Not that it matters since we broke it off within a couple of months. However, we have been married for 15 years now, so I guess we're good.

Posted by: elsie at July 14, 2009 9:41 PM

My husband proposed during Blue Rodeo's set at the Calgary Folk Fest. We were lying on the tarp, and he held his straw hat over us to block the sun. It broke up the light into a thousand points like stars. He gave me a plain gold band, just like I wanted.

Five year anniv coming up in a couple weeks. We've had a rough go of it (brain surgery, breast cancer and multiple sclerosis between the two of us all in the first five years) but it's made us an incredible team.

Posted by: Treena at July 14, 2009 9:43 PM

Mid-afternoon in a baking-hot midwestern park, illegally tossing a dog toy* for our 3-year-old retriever. Seated on cracked old cement steps, just watching dog, no talking.

Him: "This is a good place."
Me: "Yes." [thinking, you know, generally.]
Him: "Hey, will you marry me?"
Me: "What? Really?"
Him: "Yes, really."
Me: "Yes."
Smooch attempt.
Dog: THROW IT THROW IT THROW IT(drops slobbery dog toy into our laps)
Him: [throws]

Posted by: Salieri2 at July 14, 2009 9:44 PM

Congratulations Janet! I hope you have a glorious day.

Posted by: Cindy at July 14, 2009 9:44 PM

My fiancee and I sat down and discussed our life goals and core values to make sure they were compatible and then negotiated the sticking points to an acceptable middle ground with terms and conditions and stuff. Then we shook on it and had some really awesome sex.

...Is that not how it's supposed to go?

Posted by: Nat at July 14, 2009 9:46 PM

I had bought my (future) wife's ring a few weeks ago, but was waiting for the diamond to be set. When I was out with her shopping and running errands, I got a voice mail saying the ring was ready. My girlfriend had to get her watch battery replaced, so I said "well, I'll drop you off, drop off these rental DVDs, and then come get you." I swung by the ring place instead, picked up the ring, and then parked by the jewelery/watch place.

I walk up as she's waiting outside, looking in the window, and she points out a ring (obviously hinting) and goes "look at that one, that's a nice one."

I go "yeah ... its okay. I think I like this one better though." [drop to one knee, pull out ring, tears on her face, etc]

Yay stories.

Posted by: joe at July 14, 2009 9:47 PM

Aw, Treena, that was a lovely description of a sweet memory. Congrats to the both of you on 5 years.

Posted by: MelBivDevoe at July 14, 2009 9:48 PM

Amanda knew it was coming. The night before, a buddy took me to a local pub where I got so smashed I couldn't walk. I ended up at home, vomiting, and sleeping on the sofa. All I could get down in the morning was OJ, which came right back up.

I put Amanda in the car, and we headed down to Williamsburg, where we'd met in college. I was so sick I had to stop the car on the side of the road and just sit for a while. She was mortified.

When we got there, I convinced her to let me lay in a field for a while. After about 30 minutes and some lunch, I took her to Crim Dell bridge, a famous William & Mary spot for proposals, got down on bended knee, proposed. I have no idea what I said, but in spite of our day up to that point, she said yes.

Posted by: ahamos at July 14, 2009 9:53 PM

I was knocked up with my first child, and he was full of "liquid courage", having spent the day out fishing with his best friend and a couple cases of beer.

He slurred a bit when he asked if I would marry him and my answer, after asking him if he was drunk, was YES!!!

Posted by: Janey at July 14, 2009 9:55 PM

I'm jetlagged from a business trip to LA, and boyfriend picks me up at the airport sans flowers or anything. We've been away from each other for the first significant amount of time (ie, prime ring purchasing time) in a while. I ask flower-less boyfriend what he did with his week of leisure, and he is very, very convincing in his tale of video game playing and overall time wasting.

I am not a happy girlfriend.

He asks if I want to go out to dinner.

I ask what the hell makes him think, after a week of no sleep and bad restaurant food (and no flowers) I want to go eat some Chilis or whatever crap he had planned?

We go home, I take a nap, and bitch at him about how we've been living together for almost a year and how we're never getting engaged and general bitchiness.

I wake up, catch up on Fox's BOOT CAMP, sitting on the couch in my pj's and glasses munching on cheetos and after patiently waiting for the damn reality show episode (recorded via VHS, mind you) boyfriend says "I made something for you." ummmm... what not. He plays, I shit you not, a mixed tape (CD version, I'm not THAT old) and pulls a ring out from under the cheap hand me down couch.

There was waiting for this proposal, mind you. We're going on 10 years ago here and it still manages to piss me off when I think of it. Yeah yeah, I married him, I love him- doesn't make it any better.

Posted by: lilianna28 at July 14, 2009 9:57 PM

I got dumped a few days ago, and thus believe (natch) that all love is a hollow lie and we're all destined to die bitter and alone. But awwwwwww! I'd actually melt with joy if someone proposed to me not only in Disneyland, but in a Disneyland musical spectacular. Of course, it'd end in tears and pain and regret as all relationships seem to, but still. Awesome memories!

Seriously though, some of you have really nice stories, so yay for you! (MelBivDevoe, your fiance sounds amazing. Sinister, but amazing)

Posted by: Shay at July 14, 2009 9:58 PM

Aww Treena, you're making my inner Albertan smile!

Posted by: Agente Provocatrice at July 14, 2009 10:01 PM

Mine was a little old school. I set up an easel with a drawing of us at home, bought flowers, and had to bribe a bartender for a bottle of bubbles (it was past liquor purchasing hours). I then went to visit the lady at work (she was a waitress at the time) with friends. We stayed at one of her tables until her shift was over and I took her home. I simply brought her into the room, got down on one knee, and presented the engagement ring (a gift from my grandmother).

Posted by: Drew Morton at July 14, 2009 10:06 PM

Aww, Joe, Mel, Tammy, what sweet stories!

Conversely, the parent's version:
My dad told me he decided to propose because my mom was a nice girl and he wanted to have kids. They're driving somewhere and he says:
"So, I uh ordered a ring, but it didn't get here yet. So, do you want to?" or possibly "So do you want to get hitched?"

My partner's parents were at a party, and his father's uncle asked them jokingly "So, when are you two getting married?" He turns to his then girlfriend and says: "Do you wanna?"

Yeah...it really won't be hard for us to top either of those. Both pairs are still married, though.

Posted by: Kate at July 14, 2009 10:17 PM

Not-yet-Mrs.-TK had been away on an internship all summer. I'd bought the ring weeks before her return, and could do nothing but think about and stare at the damn thing. I was all set to take her out the night after she got home, wine and dine her, and pop the question.

Except I couldn't take it anymore. I'd been obsessing over that goddamn ring for weeks, without her knowing. I lost my patience, and abruptly proposed to her 20 minutes after she got home, while she was changing her clothes.

Yeah. Romantic as hell.

Posted by: TK at July 14, 2009 10:27 PM

My wife and I went out dancing with friends (we learned to Lindy Hop when we lived in Las Vegas) and everybody knew that the I was going to propose except the intended. I spent all day, and I do mean all goddamn day, looking for a copy of "Beyond the Sea" (you wouldn't think it would be that fucking hard to find a Bobby Darrin CD in Las Vegas) which, for reasons I no longer remember, was our song.

So, everybody danced to the first two songs, then my man the DJ put on my CD. Everybody, including the wife, headed off the floor, when I pulled her back. I got down on one knee, she called me a fucker and we're celebrating our 9th anniversary next week.

Posted by: Tracer Bullet at July 14, 2009 10:31 PM

So, dude holds out gorgeous 1 1/2 carat (internally flawless) diamond solitaire ring and merely asks, "Do you want it?"

Seriously.

Posted by: agent bedhead at July 14, 2009 10:32 PM

I took her to the spot where we first kissed, which just happened to be on the side of the road on Main Street in our hometown (high school sweethearts, see). Pure romance. I had to perform a little sleight-of-hand to get the ring out of the console of my vehicle without her seeing it, and then I just went to the knee and popped the question. Not the smoothest dude on earth.

Posted by: Mattfactor at July 14, 2009 10:32 PM

Ha! Jerce, my pseudo-husband said to me a few years ago, "Wouldn't it be cool if we went off and got married on our 10th anniversary?"

I said, "Nope." Poor pseudo-Mr.

We're still together. 14 years, now. I love him as much as ever I have, and he loves me back, and I couldn't ask for more.

Posted by: Anna von Beaverplatz at July 14, 2009 10:36 PM

Shay, as a fellow embittered single I'm with you. Love is hollow and all that. Except for apparently Pajiba love, because even the "boring" stories are pretty cute.

The first time my ex-boyfriend told me he loved me I was hopped up on Vicodin and didn't remember it the next morning. Stupid ear infection.

Posted by: Zuzu at July 14, 2009 10:38 PM

Awww, TK, that's so sweet that you were too excited to wait. How cute.

Agent Bedhead, did you scream "Yes!" and then grab the ring so fast you took a few fingers with it? Because that would've been my reaction to a rock like that.

Posted by: MelBivDevoe at July 14, 2009 10:41 PM

Awww, Shay, I would never break up with you ever! Because I adore you!

Posted by: Anna von Beaverplatz at July 14, 2009 10:47 PM

Never been proposed to, but seriously, that Disney thing was ridiculous. Cute, I guess, but it was as much for his benefit as hers. Can you imagine when they have kids?

"You're grunting and you're groaning,
your vagina's ripped in twain.
I can see our baby crowning
through your wild cooter mane!

I'll sing to mask your death threats
'cause I didn't put them in my plans.
Oh, darling, our new baby
just made his very first jazz hands!"


Posted by: Geetch at July 14, 2009 10:47 PM

TK, what a sweet story!

Mr. Stardust and I met online through a David Bowie website (no one here is surprised, I'm sure), so we had been conducting a long-distance relationship and trading off on a 200-mile drive to see each other on the weekends. At the time. we had been dating over 2 years, I was in college and living with my parents since I was poor, and he was working at the local paper. I was due to drive over to his place for my usual every-other-weekend visit after my dress rehearsal for an upcoming circus performance, which was supposed to end about 9 pm. Except it ended at 11 pm. And my parents were not happy that I was going to drive 3 hours to see my sweet after 5 hours of performing, rigging, and being berated by the show's director. I basically told my mother that I didn't give a shit what she said or that I still lived under their roof, I was an adult and going to see my sweet come hell or high water. To say she was unhappy is to say the ocean has a few droplets of water.

So I make the 3 hour trek, arrive at 2 am, and find that my sweet has some dinner ready for me. I was fucking hungry and tired after 5 hours of circus hell, so I scarfed and crashed. The next morning I woke up around 11 am and was still kind of hazy, so I didn't even think twice when he said we were going to go on a little trip and he had packed a few things for me. After I shower and make myself pretty, we leave for the beach, stopping at a bed and breakfast on the way to drop off our bags. Clueless me didn't even give it a second thought. I was too busy wondering where the fuck I was going to get a blue kerosene canister so that I didn't mix up the gas for the circus equipment with the kerosene for my fire act.

After we drop off our bags, we head back up the beach for a nice dinner. A nice dinner is had, and then we head back down to the bed and breakfast. We walk in the room and I notice the lights turned down low, a dozen roses on the nightstand, and a place of the most delicious-looking cookies I have ever seen. I start to get suspicious. He sits me down, drops to one knee, and I burst out into tears and bawl "Yes!" before he can even get five words out.

Needless to say, when I called my parents the next day, they forgot all about me telling them to jump up my ass.

Posted by: stardust savant at July 14, 2009 10:54 PM

Good Lord, today has been a day for reminiscing back to my college days.

Posted by: stardust savant at July 14, 2009 10:56 PM

Mr. Starr took me on a walk in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains. The night was crystal clear; above us, the mountains and a sky full of stars; below us, the city and an ocean of lights.

He surprised the daylights out of me by pulling out a beautiful ring and asking me to marry him. I said yes without hesitation. We will have been together 5 years in August.

Posted by: androstarr at July 14, 2009 10:57 PM

Mel that is ridiculously sweet. I would've bawled, too!

My story:

I had sort of been suspecting he would ask, but didn't really believe it. So then one day we go out to the local mall and go hang out at the Barnes and Noble and drink coffee. So he says "I'll be right back" and leaves me there reading--FOR AN HOUR. I was really starting to freak out. I was in a completely strange city and I had a very vague idea where we were and all sorts of horrific scenarios are playing out in my mind. So he gets back 5 minutes before I'm ready to freakin call the police and he's all nonchalant and I yelled at him a bit. But he was all coy and irritating and didn't say anything.

So the next morning we're in bed, just waking up. As usual we're just sorta talking and I'm trying to get up and go brush my teeth and wake up properly when he JUMPS over me to the other side of the bed, reaches into his coat and goes "I have a question to ask you."

I froze. I literally just froze when he pulled out the box and the ring and asked me to marry him. I couldn't say anything. It felt like forever, because my mind was all BOOM WOW KABANG explosions and all through that I'm thinking "wow, if he's asking me when I'm all stinky-breath and bad bedhead and bleary-eyed..." and I broke out of my stupor and started bawling and said yes.

Posted by: figgy at July 14, 2009 10:58 PM

My birthday 7am
me: I want pancakes
him: it's early
me: it's my birthday.....I want pancakes
him: I want to get married
me: pancakes first

Posted by: lurker delurk at July 14, 2009 11:00 PM

him: I want to get married
me: pancakes first

Bwahhahahhaha!!

Posted by: Anna von Beaverplatz at July 14, 2009 11:05 PM

I was proposed to in the Casino Royale Official Trailer post, right here on Pajiba. We had a good run, but now he's off with some other girl...

I actually have been proposed to in real life. I was in the Dominican Republic on vacation with my family. I went to sit down at the beach to watch the stars come out, and this cute hotel employee sat next to me. We talked for about an hour and he asked me to please stay in the country so we could get married. "You're almost 14 years old. If you lived here you'd be married by now."

I certainly hope my future husband can top that.

Posted by: Sofía at July 14, 2009 11:07 PM

Sofi how did you not marry him RIGHT THERE? You would be a made woman by now!

Posted by: figgy at July 14, 2009 11:08 PM

Aww Figgy. You and your nerd-boy are so cute together.

Posted by: Optimus Rhyme at July 14, 2009 11:09 PM

My friends recommended me a very good comunity
~~~~ Ageromance.com ~~~~-
People from all over the world gather together.
Go and have a try, you may find your love or friendship there.

Posted by: satokofan at July 14, 2009 11:11 PM

Christmas '04.
First I gave her a present that was ring-box-shaped -- it actually was the box the ring came in, but I substituted the ring out and put in a pair of earrings. Throw her off the scent.

Then towards the end, I gave her a present that was clearly CD shaped. She opened it to find I had burned her a copy of The Who's Greatest Hits, an album that had been on her wish list for a long time.

I encouraged her to open it up and see what songs were on it. This necessitated more persuasion than I had anticipated. She finally opened the CD to find instead, a ring.

10 minutes later, after joyous celebration time and she calmed down from smiling so much, she demanded, "Where's my Who CD?" It was waiting in her stocking.

Posted by: Bistro at July 14, 2009 11:12 PM

I was proposed to in the Casino Royale Official Trailer post, right here on Pajiba.
Was it so long ago? I can't believe you remembered.

Posted by: Optimus Rhyme at July 14, 2009 11:17 PM

My wife had just gotten out of a four year relationship that was terrible and I had been single for three years. We had been dating for six month and one night after, ummmmmm, certain physical activities we're just talking about nothing when all of a sudden she asks "will you marry me?" I start laughing thinking she's joking. She wasn't. Our 10 year anniversary is at the end of the month.

Congratulations Janet. Have fun.

Posted by: admin at July 14, 2009 11:24 PM

I remember EVERYTHING...

*moonwalks to the shadows*

Posted by: Sofía at July 14, 2009 11:39 PM

After the now Mr. Knees and I had spent all of 4 nights together he asked (over the phone, while I was at work) if I wanted to fly to Vegas and get married. I did, so we did, a month later, by a singing Elvis. No rings, just tattoos. Alcohol is the devil my friends...the most miraculous devil. Five years later, here we are, still drunk, still in love.

Posted by: the bees knees at July 14, 2009 11:39 PM

Dating 6 years. Neither of us had ever been to Europe and always wanted to. Finally saved up for a trip to Belgium (BEER!) and France.

Last night in France he INSISTS we go take pictures at the top of the Arc de Triomph. I'm all tired and grumpy. We get there, go under the street to the stairs and ... the Arc is closed for the night. Man looks devastated. I suggest we take pictures from across the street and get all the car lights going by (cool effect at night).

So I'm taking pictures, then we hug and get all "yay we're in Paris" and he tries to slip the ring into my hand, only I'm confused about what he's doing and almost drop it. Then he asks the questions, there's lots of tears (just from me) and a yes.

This just happened like 2 weeks ago, so I'm still pretty excited, not gonna lie. :-)

Posted by: Lindsay at July 14, 2009 11:51 PM

We were driving to a Christmas Party for my work.

Future Husband: I've got a ring
Me: Does it have pink diamonds on it?
Future Husband: Of course
Me: Is it for me?
Future Husband: You or the random drunk girl at the restaurant that says yes.
Me: (laughs) Who says romance is dead?

The end.

It doesn't sound romantic, but it was hilarious and perfect.

Posted by: Heather! at July 14, 2009 11:59 PM

My stepdad proposed to my mom like so: they climbed to the top of a mountain. As they were looking out over the vastness, he turned to her, gazed into her eyes and said, "Marry me or I throw you off."

I swear to God. And she said yes. It was perfect for them.

Posted by: Jenilane at July 15, 2009 12:06 AM

I've never been proposed to, unless you count the dazed ramblings of a tranked panda. And, unfortunately, the details that my parents gave me of their engagement are vague at best. Something about my grandpa, a shotgun, daddy's best friend Jim Bean, and the buns my mom was baking in the oven at the time. It's strange, though. My mom never bakes and even though my dad and Mr. Bean are inseparable and apparently smell the same, I've never actually met him. But they assure me that is was all very romantic, like in the movies!

Posted by: jM at July 15, 2009 12:19 AM

After a particularly strenuous, carnal Pas de deux in the cab of a back-hoe, I retrieved the two carat sparkler I'd hidden on the second toe of my right foot, (my distinct lack of pockets being the obvious reason) raised my mouth far enough from her breast, angled my head so that I could look into her right eye, waggled my eyebrows lewdly and said...

"Accept this and there's a lot more where that came from. "

(Ten years this month.)

Posted by: gforcetwo at July 15, 2009 12:34 AM

I had a company in Canada print "Will you marry me?" on a cork with a picture of a guy down on one knee and re-corked a nice bottle of wine with it. I then gave her the bottle to open whenever we had a special event to celebrate. When she finally opened it.... of course she didn't even notice, but I asked her to make sure the cork hadn't leaked since it was such a nice bottle of wine, then got down on one knee when she turned around to pick it up.

It pales in comparison to a lot of these, but the guys at the wine shop that re-corked the bottle for me said they hated guys like me, and that was all I had to know ;-)

Posted by: Eep at July 15, 2009 12:43 AM

OK, I guess it's worth noting that my nonproposal proposal = 27 years this month. I've lived longer with her than I have without her. I'm a lucky dog.

Posted by: , (the commenter formerly known as bucdaddy) at July 15, 2009 12:54 AM

i just got a girlfriend a couple months ago she already agreed to marry me forever but i don't know how long it's going to take to get her to come to america.

Posted by: Utah Dynamo at July 15, 2009 1:29 AM

It was insanely early in the morning and I was rousing myself for yet another working day on the local ski hill. As I lay there contemplating on how one of the best jobs I've ever had can also be the worst, Mr. Koots comes into the bedroom, heaves his body over mine, and with his face inches away from mine, brings out a small, blue box.

I knew what it was, but honestly, I'm not a morning person so I simply reacted with a sleepy smile and a drawled "yes", and then reached over and banged on the alarm clock to get another nine minutes of dreamland.

We had a wonderful, fun wedding; its been ten years since then, and I still think he's a great big bowl of wonderful.

Posted by: kootenay girl at July 15, 2009 1:39 AM

It started with a conversation about plans. The now-Mr. first brought up the subject of marrying me after exactly one week of dating, nine months later (totally non-significant number) I let him know that I plan to spend Spring semester in Paris studying art and would like to know how he feels about that/what his plans are. He re-states that he wants to marry me in the future and does not want to break up when I go. I give it no further thought.

Two days later, we are cuddling in a sunbeam (chastely,even. I kid you not.) before getting up for school and Mr. TS suddenly moves the arm around me into a python-like headlock of sorts, so that I cannot look at his face. I know something big is up because this is exactly what he did before he first kissed me, but it never crosses my mind.

Mr. TS: What would you say if I asked you to marry me?
Me: I don't know, guess you'll have to ask me and find out.
Mr. TS: Will you marry me?
Me: Yes

...and that was that. He knew I would rather die than be put on the spot publicly, and the way he did was sweet and perfect. The hard part was telling my parents...never thought I'd be married before I graduated college.

Two years in October.

Posted by: TryScience at July 15, 2009 1:54 AM

On the banks of the Nile in Uganda ..... I was a little drunk on g&t's and almost missed the proposal. We're getting married this October.

Posted by: Finn at July 15, 2009 2:24 AM

When I knew a proposal was in the immediate future, I decided to ask my fiance to talk to my dad first. Not asking permission, just letting him know it was going to happen. I figured it would make my dad feel really special to be the first to know.
That part worked. I didn't need to be told they'd talked, my dad fucking glowed, he was so happy. So, yay.
Unfortunately, my dad immediately told my mum. For the next week, while the fiance was trying to find the perfect, romantic setting for the proposal, I was fielding calls three times a day from my mother, first asking 'do you have any news?' then, as time went on, 'Is everything okay? Have you had a fight?'.
This stressed me out. The fiance thought I was freaked out about the proposal, and he got stressed out.
At the end of the week, it all came out, and there was much relief in the land of the Geeks. In fact, I was so relieved, I proposed to him. He said yes, then asked me, because, yanno, he'd been planning to say it for a freaking fortnight, so he really wanted to say it.
Moral of the story: Even if you just want to do something nice for your dad, never let your mother find out about your upcoming proposal. Sorry Pajidads, but that's the way it has to be.

Posted by: ScienceGeek at July 15, 2009 2:36 AM

Fuck you married people! Fuck you all!

Posted by: DeistBrawler at July 15, 2009 3:05 AM

Me: I'm pregnant.
Him: So...marry me?
Me: Eh...okay.

So, the proposal was crap, but the actual wedding was much, much more romantic. He arranged vacation time for me, packed my bags, and drove me the airport without a word about where we were going. I didn't find out till we got the gate. We flew to Hawaii. Our parents and siblings and friends surprised us at the hotel, and we got married the next evening on a beach. It was a perfect wedding, and I didn't plan a thing!

Posted by: ZoBla. at July 15, 2009 3:15 AM

We somehow got married without there being any proposal involved. We pretty much knew from day one that we were in it for the long haul and, about four years after that, got married in our living room with just our parents (dad's a minister so he could sign the paper, even for us non-theist types). Anyway, it's been ??? years now and neither of us can remember how many years or what the anniversary date is if you ask. What I can tell you is that my eyes still well up with tears just to think about him, I'm so grateful and astonished. What we lack in benchmark/milestone awareness we make up for with adoration which time and fights have not worn away. It's not much of a proposal story, I guess, but I'll take it.

Posted by: eppendork at July 15, 2009 3:45 AM

My husband proposed last December in London (we are English - so London
isn't that spectacular) at the British Museum. I did a History degree and
am a total History geek, so that is actually more special than it might initially
appear!

We picked a ring out together about six months before he proposed. He
was worried about buying one I didn't like so we went and had a wander
round the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham "just for ideas" and he ended up
putting a deposit down on one I fell for. So I spent the next six months waiting...

We stopped outside the main entrance to the Museum and he was fiddling
around with his camera, he handed me a film case and asked me to get it out for
him. I was just processing the thought that its a digital camera so why does he
need film as I opened it to see the ring and to see him down on one knee. We
proceeded to wander round the Museum and take absolutely nothing in and
had to go back again.

We got married in April in a lovely old library. Happy days.

Posted by: sevenstories at July 15, 2009 4:11 AM

hidden in a medium-leveled spelunking cave, resting on a stalagmite finger. that would be awesome. it is 4:22 am right now and I just watched HP6 and it was okay except daniel radcliffe is being out acted by everyone. Including baby-voldemort. I cluding lavender. Including the cgi inferi.

Posted by: jasper at July 15, 2009 4:23 AM

hidden in a medium-leveled spelunking cave, resting on a stalagmite finger. that would be awesome. it is 4:22 am right now and I just watched HP6 and it was okay except daniel radcliffe is being out acted by everyone. Including baby-voldemort. I cluding lavender. Including the cgi inferi.

Posted by: jasper at July 15, 2009 4:23 AM

oops

Posted by: jasper at July 15, 2009 4:25 AM

I could not watch that whole video, it made me feel ill. I would have said no, and then run screaming for the hills.

Posted by: Carrie at July 15, 2009 4:49 AM

Oh and I don't have a proposal story, because I'm alone and bitter. I have a 'this is how I would have proposed had we not broken up and crushed your little heart' story. That's why I'm alone and bitter.

Posted by: Carrie at July 15, 2009 5:03 AM

Hate to burst the bubble, but that Disney proposal is a fake: http://ocresort.freedomblogging.com/2009/07/09/disneyland-gets-viral-with-elaborate-fake-marriage-proposal/11519/

As if it weren't clear that the girl accepting were going to live her life as a beard for captain jazz hands over there.

I'm not married, but I witnessed the neato proposal of some friends of mine. The guy gathered a bunch of their friends at Trader Todd's karaoke bar in Chicago for a night of joyous tackiness. He and the girlfriend started singing the Johnny Cash/June Carter Cash song 'Jackson' together. Halfway through the song, he tells the dj he's not feeling it, and the dj switches the song to 'Down on Bended Knee' by Boys II Men. She looks around the room and her sister and parents come out of the woodwork, she starts bawling, and he puts a doorknob-sized diamond on her finger.

I'm normally not into public proposals, but it was really sweet to watch and she was really tickled to have all her friends and family around afterwards congratulating her and sharing the moment.

Posted by: K at July 15, 2009 6:02 AM

And congratulations to dammitjanet for both inspiring this diversion and getting engaged :)

Posted by: K at July 15, 2009 6:05 AM

That video proposal is exactly the situation I fear (not that that level of effort on my behalf has ever really been a possibility). I can't stand to be told a joke, never mind be asked to marry! Oh, the obligation to acquiesce makes my tummy hurt.

I've made it pretty clear to the mate that I don't think marrying is for me - I'm so contrary that if I was married, I'd want to rebel against all the 'forever' clauses and take off after every fight. This way, I feel better about making a balanced decision about the latest outrage. :)

It's been about eleven or twelve years now, so the non-plan seems to be working. Weddings aren't for me I guess. But I am very proud of the sticktoitiveness of all these 'Jibans. Well done. Long term relationships are no easy feat.

And for those that aren't or were previously married - I say 'well rid' of the ones that aren't keepers.

Posted by: replica at July 15, 2009 6:06 AM

!. My friend Ben glued down the letters to Boggle, so that "Gwyn, will you marry me?" were all available as words. During the scoring portion, he starts casually saying, "I have a GWYN ... WILL ... YOU ... MARRY ... ME." She first yells, "ME is only two letters!" before everyone else waits for her to process. They framed the Boggle board and have it in their living room.

2. My friend Rob has a solo set at an Arts Festival and invited all his friends for crowd support. As a singer-songwriter, he does a mix of his original songs and covers. However, this lanky white man decides to end his set by covering "Single Ladies" by Beyonce, which people thought was just weird, more than anything. After his set's over, he calls his girlfriend (also his manager) up on stage and thanks her for her help (she's studying for the Bar while doing promotion). He then says, "you know, I think Beyonce was right..." and then goes down on one knee in front of ~50 of their friends, so everyone starts whopping it up like a 90's talk show crowd. Because they were taping the proposal, they have it on tape, but because of all the yelling, you can't actually hear the proposal or the acceptance, but it is nevertheless awesome.

Posted by: Sean Whaley at July 15, 2009 6:29 AM

I've always thought my parent's engagement was quite good - my dad had been pestering my mum to marry him for about a year. She was 21, he was 23 and she had no desire to get hitched so young. One day while washing the car, my dad (fed up of her dodging the question) turns the hose on her and says if she doesn't set a date he will keep her trapped against the wall, soaking her for all eternity.
She yelled "FINE! AUGUST, YOU BASTARD - I HATE YOU!" and he turned off the hose.

Nearly 30 years later it's still romantic... kind of.

Posted by: Squeeziee at July 15, 2009 6:49 AM

My husband asked me while we were hiking in Yosemite during our post-bar exam trip. We were all excited and then realized there wasn't a damn soul around to tell (we were way out in the woods). My husband had asked my father for my hot little hand already and got his grandmother's engagement ring, so everybody back home already knew. It was very traditional and very nice.

Posted by: samantha t at July 15, 2009 7:15 AM

we were in the breakfast nook, having hebrew national hot dogs & golden monkey beer, and dan asked, "so, should we...um......ya know....like....get married or whatever?"

i yelled "YES! DUH!" and that was it.

Posted by: glittergirl at July 15, 2009 7:38 AM

My then-boyfriend asked me to go for a walk at a local park, one with a path around a lake. Beautiful day. He'd been ring shopping and I knew it, so I was in anticipation mode (is THIS the moment???).

About a half-mile around we take a seat on a bench near the water. He calls my attention to something bobbing in the water. I go over to investigate and it's a message in a bottle. I make some comment that it's probably personal and I should throw it back, and he stops me. He eventually convinces me to read the note - out loud - and it turns out to be the beginning of his proposal.

I turn to him and he's down on one knee, holding out the ring. Asks me to marry him and I say yes. Laughter, tears, etc.

As I'm hugging him, I feel something under his shirt - like a wire. He calls out, "you can come out now!" and his friend steps out from behind a tree with a video camera. Whole thing (audio and visual) was caught on tape from the time we entered the park.

Coda:
About eight months before our wedding, I discover that he has an active profile posted on a dating website. I should have known that this Level 10 Schemer would eventually use his power for evil. My returning of the ring ceremony was a lot less elaborate than the way I'd acquired it.

I sure do miss that ring.

Posted by: Sian at July 15, 2009 7:49 AM

Dammit, I just typed out the whole thing and then my browser crashed.

As I really can't be arsed typing it all out again, in short, it involved dinner, Sydney Harbour and the Opera House and my man pulling me into a slow dance by the water and then dropping onto one knee and taking me massively by surprise. But in a good way.

He even asked my dad for permission beforehand, which of course my dad was seriously chuffed about.

Oh, and this only happened a couple of weeks ago, so now I have a wedding to plan. Scary.

Posted by: redhead at July 15, 2009 8:07 AM

On my birthday. My husband had been threatening to get me a puppy (he's a dog person - I am a cat person...he always asserted this was because I never had a dog of my own to love. Bullshit.) and after a lovely dinner, we returned home and he scurried off to the garage. He came back in with a cardboard box full of breathing holes. I immediately yelled "Are you fucking kidding me? Oh HELL no...!" and then chastised him for leaving the poor puppy out in the cold garage while we were at dinner, wondered aloud what in hell we were going to do with a dog, who was going to watch it while we went on vacation... on and on like a psycho.
While I was babbling, he got down on one knee and pulled a gorgeous ring out of the box and proposed. He was all nervous and shaking. It was so awesome, and taught me a valuable lesson in shutting the fuck up!

Posted by: courtney at July 15, 2009 9:09 AM

Too many years ago. I don't remember. I think it involved a teddy bear, because he couldn't afford a ring. I still have the teddy bear.

Posted by: BWeaves at July 15, 2009 9:21 AM

I've always liked the way my dad and stepmom got engaged: the lease on her apartment ended and she and her three cats moved with my dad, my brother, me, and our two cats. The house was tiny so they found a larger house to buy. She said to him, "Since we're buying a house together, maybe we should get married?". He said, "Uh. Ok." So romantic. Their wedding cost less than $1000 including rings and dress.

Posted by: Lee at July 15, 2009 9:22 AM

Wow, thanks everyone for the good wishes. Freaking out a little more each day, but my daily doses of vitamin Pajiba help.

So, this is long and involved, but bear with me:

I've known my fiance for 10 years. I was living with someone when we met, but I left him and started seeing soon-to-be-Mr.dammit. He proposed way back then, on Halloween, when we were helping with a haunted hayride. He was a vampire, I was his Victorian victim. A whole group of us were participating, including my kids. After the hayride, we all sat around the bonfire, and one of our friends had an extra tent that we (sans kids) could sleep in. The kids slept with some other friends, cause, well..you do the math. Anyway, he proposed then, without a ring. I freaked. My other relationship had been, shall we say, psychologically abusive, and I doubted every decision I made. So, I made a horrible decision...to go back to Mr. didn't-ever-want-to-marry-me. I regretted that decision for years. Mr. Right and I remained friends, but we both knew we wanted more.

So, last year, Mr. just-want-to-live-with-you-and-take-all-your-money left. I had lost my job, he left, and my kids and I had to move. I was a mess. Out of the blue, Mr. Right sends me a text. I thought he had heard about the break-up, but he hadn't. He just KNEW. He offers to help me move, etc. We started seeing each other again, and our feelings had not changed. We went out with friends and family on New Year's Eve, and he asked me again, on the dance floor, while they were playing "Amazed." I said yes. But, still no ring. Then, one night we were at his house, watching "Serenity" for the umpteenth time. I was sitting on the couch, and he had his head in my lap. My left hand was under his head....he grabbed my fingers and started doing "this little piggie" with them. When he got to my ring finger, he slipped a ring on my finger and said, "And this is for marrying. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I've known it for 10 years, and it has never changed."

I am NOT an girly-girl. I HATE chick flicks, I am NOT sappy, but I bawled like a little bitch.

Any Pajibans in Indiana, come on out. It's gonna be a great day!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!


Posted by: dammitjanet at July 15, 2009 9:24 AM

admin, my wife asked me to marry her, too. I guess we know who wears the pants in our marriages, eh?

I guess I should tell the story. One day, my wife said "We should get married. But only for the money."

We just celebrated our first anniversary last Saturday, and we never even got any fucking money out of it. Bah.

Posted by: Snath at July 15, 2009 9:34 AM

And now I'm bawling like a little bitch as well! Damn you dammitjanet! But seriously - sincerely the best of luck to you and psychic Mr. Right. =P

Posted by: Squeeziee at July 15, 2009 9:34 AM

We were on a train from Yokohama back to Yokosuka in Japan, fresh off a nice dinner where we discussed our dreams for the future. The girlfriend was feeling a little sick and, being averse to over-the-counter meds, asked what she could take to feel better quickly. I recommended Tylenol Cold and a Red Bull to fight the drowsiness. Practicality, mofros.

Cut to the train:

Me: So what do you want to do?
Girlfriend: I dunno. What were you thinking?
Me: Wanna get married?
Girlfriend: I--wha--what did you say?
Me: Let's get married.
Girlfriend: You wanna?
Me: Yep.
Girlfriend: Oh honey!
(I didn't realize until later that I got her high on cold meds before proposing. She didn't mind.)

So, being a poor Navy boy, I went to the base NEX that night to buy a little green toy ring until I could afford a proper replacement. I took the knee, proposed properly, and she wore that thing faithfully until I got her the diamond. We still have the ring.

Posted by: Kballs at July 15, 2009 9:40 AM

All these stories are AMAZING.

Future Husband: I've got a ring
Me: Does it have pink diamonds on it?
Future Husband: Of course
Me: Is it for me?
Future Husband: You or the random drunk girl at the restaurant that says yes.
Me: (laughs) Who says romance is dead?

Though this might be my favorite :)

Posted by: Julie at July 15, 2009 9:47 AM

Just after Christmas 2005.
Ring: At the bottom of a Christmas bag full of presents.

Him: Will you marry me?

Me: What? You're not even going to get down on one knee??

Him: (Now kneeling) Will you marry me? (In funny voice)

Me: Yes.

FIN.

We're so romantic.

Posted by: Kiddo at July 15, 2009 9:55 AM

Late, but here it goes -
Hurricane Ike approaches the gulf coast. We decide to stay, buy charcoal for our grill, freeze a whole bunch of ice, and self medicate with all the cold drinks we have in an attempt to sleep through the hurricane. 5 am, heaviest rain and wind coming through our neighborhood, and PINE TREE CRACKS IN HALF, FALLS OVER OUR BEDROOM, THROUGH THE ROOM NEXT DOOR, DESTROYING THE GAS LINES, WATER LINES, AND SEPARATING A BRICK WALL FROM THE REST OF THE HOUSE.

As we frantically (and while hungover, not the best plan in retrospect) try to salvage our material goods and wait out the storm in the living room, with our dogs, and our lives, he smokes a cigarette (because at this point, what's a little smoke, also the WATER POURING IN OUR HOUSE WILL probably kill the smoke smell.

He had been planning on Thanksgiving, but we decided that perhaps we'd better get a jump on being married, since we'd just narrowly avoided being crushed by a tree; seriously, this giant thing fell on our roof right over our bed.

Posted by: Cellybelly at July 15, 2009 10:07 AM

I was proposed to right this second, with an intricate combination of all of the proposal stories thus far.

Posted by: buttercup at July 15, 2009 10:12 AM

MelBivDevo FTW

Posted by: Kiddo at July 15, 2009 10:22 AM

A little background - I never thought I'd get married. I lived on my own for about 10 years and liked being by myself. Plus, I'm such a bitch that who the fuck would marry me?

Also, and this is important - I am not romantic. At all. It's a serious personality flaw that I have tried hard to overcome and yet have never succeeded at.

We had been dating for a year, he's a school teacher so was off work for the summer; one day at lunch he picked me up from work and took me back to my apartment so we could share my lunch hour together. We're sitting at this tiny little table in my tiny little kitchen eating soup and talking rather nonchalantly about the future when he says:

Ben: We should get married.

Me: What?

Ben: Will you marry me?

Me: Really? You want to marry me? *peers into my soup bowl* What's in this fucking soup? (see, not romantic)

Ben: Honey, I'm serious. Let's get married.

Me: You don't want to marry me. I'm a bitch.

Ben: I know.

Me: Seriously, you want to get married to me? Really?

Ben: Really, really.

Me: Eh, okay I guess.

Ben: Today's Thursday, your parents and best friend will be here on Saturday for a few days, we'll get married on Tuesday.

Me: This Tuesday?

Ben: Yup.

Me: Do I have to do anything for this wedding?

Ben: Nope, I'll plan everything. Just promise me you'll show up on time.

Me: Honey, you know I can't make that promise.

The boy, my parents and my best friend pulled off a beautiful wedding in just five days and I managed to both show up on time and pretend to be all romantic and stuff on the actual day. When my mother inquired as to why we were getting married in five days, Ben said (and I do quote), "If I give her any longer to think about it she'll back out of the whole damn thing."

He was totally right; I would have.

It'll be 5 years this August and this bitch has never been happier.

Posted by: Kelly at July 15, 2009 10:35 AM

I've never been proposed to, in fact, the opposite has occurred. My ex once told me "I won't ask you to marry me because I know you'll say no." He was correct.
A few years ago some friends and I came up with the proposals we figured we're likely to get:

Baby, I love you, will you co-sign for my car?
Baby, I love you, I got arrested, could you bail me out?
Baby, I love you, my baby-mama kicked me out, can I crash with you?
Baby, I love you, my phone got turned off, can I borrow some $ to get it turned back on?

Ah, romance.

Posted by: Whorish Mouth at July 15, 2009 10:35 AM

The Hubby and I were perfectly happy living in sin. We had been doin’ it for a good long time, we were high school sweethearts, we had our kids. We didn’t think we needed a piece of paper to prove anything, so it was never really an issue. Once our oldest started school, I got tired real quick of the look I would get whenever the following exchange would take place; Teacher: “Mrs. Married Name.....” , ME: “Ms. Maiden Name.” Dirty look to follow. You’d think we were still in the dark ages. But I’m sensitive and a little passive aggressive so the look irked me. I told the hubby I was sick of the assumption, the correction, the look. I believe he recalled being called Mr. Maiden Name in the hospital when our youngest was born and suggested we pay a quick trip to the JP. For all the wrong reasons we did the (semi) big white wedding and it was wonderful, but really nothing changed but my last name. We’ll have been married 6 years this year and together for a grand total of 15.

Posted by: Eyvi at July 15, 2009 10:48 AM

Middle of the gulf on a cruise ship. He and I planned this whole spring break cruise trip. I had no frickin' idea what he had planned. He'd spent the last year purchasing all the diamonds for the ring, designed the setting and had it made with my only specification in mind, which was it be made of platinum, simply because I can destroy a gold ring in about 2 weeks. So, the second night on the boat, he's bugging me about being all fancy for dinner. Fancy dinner night is the next night, I keep saying. "No, you have to do it tonight." "Fine." So, I get all dressed up fancy and whatnot. Well, before dinner, he decides we need to take a detour to the top deck. "Why?" I ask. "We just have to." "Starving." "It'll only take a minute." So now I'm standing on the deck staring off into the sky. He taps me on the back. I whirl around to start asking "Now can we go to dinner?" Well, he's on the one knee, which of course, I ask "What are you doing?" He asks, I say yes, of course. Been together for 4 years now.

He's a sneaky one.

Posted by: Melody at July 15, 2009 10:50 AM

Last year on Valentine's Day. He arranged for the waitress to place the ring on the dessert plate when she brought it out. My immediate reaction was to grab hold of his arm and keep him in his chair so he didn't kneel in the restaurant, but I didn't need to. He told me a bunch of beautiful things that I don't remember because I was so shocked.
Oh, and the ring. He got me a giant pearl with two tiny diamonds in the platinum setting, which looked like two thin leaves swirled around the pearl. It was absolutely perfect. And so of course, my stupid fucking ass lost the ring when we moved from California to Florida a few months later. I have been trying to find a replacement ever since, but it's hard and I'm so very mad at myself.

Posted by: Blonde Savant at July 15, 2009 11:02 AM

Blonde Savant: shudder, shudder, shudder. I would die if I lost my engagement ring. I'm too flaky, so I never, ever take it off - sleeping, showers, swimming, dishes, whatever.

Posted by: samantha t at July 15, 2009 11:10 AM

I was five months pregnant and had been pushing for an engagement ring before Monkey made her appearance. J and I had been together almost 5 years at this point, so the pregnancy wasn't really the catalyst for my demands, but the hormones helped.
Anyway, I got a job at a jewelry store so that we could get a discount on the ring. We picked the ring out and then he purchased it and hid it in the house. And kept it hidden, and kept it hidden...
One night, I call J from work and we end up talking again about when I will get this ring. I end up upset. I'm still upset when I get home. I notice the ring box on the coffee table, but ignore it. After about 20 minutes of giving him the silent treatment, he grabs the ring box. He plays with it and then hands it to me and says, "So, do you want this?" Romantic, eh?
Of course I snatch the ring up, but let him know that I'm annoyed that he couldn't even try to make it nice.
Flash forward to the following February. He does the proposal over on Valentine's Day, much to my surprise. (This is a longer story too, but I think I've taken up enough space!)

Posted by: Pinky McLadybits (aka Dangle McGee) at July 15, 2009 11:19 AM

I guess I could share how my siblings got engaged.

Sibling #1: My sister and her then-boyfriend talked about getting married. He asked my dad for her hand in marriage while the whole family waited outside my dad's study. They picked the ring together.

Sibling #2: We always have this thing with my siblings where we claim different items that belong tomy parents in case they die, and we do this right in front of them. My mom gets a kick out of it because it gives her an excuse to bring out every piece of jewelry she has and we all try it on. We did this for dinner one night and my brother's girlfriend was there. She tried on a couple of rings while my brother secretly took note of her ring size. He designed the ring himself (and it's really gorgeous) and one night after dinner they went for a walk, he turned her to him and held her hands behind her back (in a loving, non-threatening way, mind you) and said, "Honey, I love you. Will you marry me?" and slipped the ring in her finger.

Sibling #3: My brother-in-law took my sister to a farm he used to visit when he was a child and stopped the car on top of a mountain that had an ocean view. He gave her a letter and in the end it read, "will you marry me?" After she said yes, he opened a bottle of champagne he was hiding in a cooller.

Sibling #4: My brother-in-law and my dad had had a difficult relationship. He's not as traditional as we are and that caused him to clash with my dad more times than one. One day my dad, my sister and her boyfriend got together for lunch and my brother-in-law proposed to my sister IN FRONT of my dad. It meant a lot to everyone in that table.

Sibling #5: He's a Jesuit, so he got down on both knees and vowed to love God forever and ever. It's weird having God has your in-law.

Posted by: Sofía at July 15, 2009 11:28 AM

samantha t it seriously fucking sucks. I think about it every day. About once a month I convince myself that I just haven't looked hard enough and then I tear apart some part of the house. No luck though. It's gone.

Posted by: Blonde Savant at July 15, 2009 11:32 AM

Mr. Lower and I got engaged over a dinner which ended in a fight about the ring. Long, boring story but we've been together 18 years and married almost 14. The better story is about my mother's engagement ring; it at least involves Mr. Lower (and shows me in a better light. I started the ring fight above).

My mom passed away in 1986 when I was 23. As the only girl, I got what little jewelry she had, including her engagement ring. I have worn it on the ring finger of my right hand for 23 years.

The mister and I had been living together and were in the process of moving to a bigger apartment before we were married. He used to watch my daughter from my first marriage while I worked nights as he was still in school. During the move, my mom's ring disappeared. We had been running from place to place all day looking for cardboard boxes, and I noticed it was gone that night. I was devastated. We called a bunch of places and retraced our steps the next day with no luck.

Six months later I stumbled home from a late night at work. The mister had given my oldest a bath and tucked her in bed. As I climbed in next to him, I felt him grab my right hand and fiddle with it. Wierd. The next thing I knew, he was slipping my mom's ring on my hand. I lost it. Apparently I had gotten behind on the laundry and the stack of clean towels was getting low. The mister pulled a towel down for my daughetr and there was the ring. It must have slipped off between the towels when I was packing to move. He told me later that he had beem cruising pawn shops for 6 months trying to find it for me. I still feel shitty about the engagement fight.

Posted by: slower lower at July 15, 2009 11:42 AM

My fiance planned to propose in Paris in December. He had all of these grand ideas involving Versailles or the Eiffel Tower on New Years Eve, but he didn't reckon on my turning into an absolute monster whenever I am forced to wait in line to get into anything. The poor guy carried the ring around for a week before we finally settled into a quiet New Year's day brunch. I was rather annoyed with the whole proposal business because he had been hinting for ages (we've been together 5 years, and he has been talking abut marrying me for 4 1/2) and so I had pretty much given up expecting anything. I was blabbing on about all the things I had to do when I got back when he launched into a speech about how much he loved being with me, to which I responded 'that's sweet.' I was still completely oblivious until he dropped down on one knee and asked me to marry him.

My first response: That's a very big decision!

After I got over the initial shock I remembered to say yes. We'll be marrying in May.

Posted by: AES at July 15, 2009 11:59 AM

The way my cousin got engaged is awesome. Bit of backstory: they both love baseball and met while working for a minor league team. He now works for a major league team in video production. So anyway, he invites her to a casual dinner with friends, but then has to work late. So the two friends (in on the scheme) say that they can just pick him up from the stadium while he works. Once they arrive he gets "too busy to leave" again, and so the friends send my cousin in to see what the deal is. And as she walks into the stadium, he has made a video montage of photos and home videos set to their favorite song, and it's playing all over the screens in the empty stadium. And while down on the field, he proposed to her.

And the icing on the cake: the dinner wasn't a casual dinner at all. He'd flown in her parents and his for a celebration dinner afterwards. I kind of tear up just thinking about it.

Posted by: J at July 15, 2009 12:31 PM

I haven't ever been proposed to, but my parents' engagement story is really sweet -- my dad is a musician, so he wrote a song about my mom called "My Blue-Eyed Autumn Girl," and in the lyrics, he asked her to marry him. It's a lovely song.

Posted by: linny at July 15, 2009 12:50 PM

My engagement story is in two parts. It was Valentine's Day, and a Saturday, and the Mr had spent all day gone doing errands. I was getting a little annoyed because I had hoped to spend a weekend Valentine's Day together. He came back with some new bed sheets (that we desperately needed), some ice cream, and a way to watch cable TV in our bedroom, from the feed in our living room, without having to pay extra for it. Later that night we were in bed, in our new sheets, eating ice cream, and watching cable TV when he proposed to me. I said yes without hesitation. Turned out he had been gone all day getting the ring and then going to my parents' house to let my dad know what he would be doing. So traditional, sweet, and cheesy. Then we broke up five months later.

Two months after that we got back together, but had no idea what our status was. Were we boyfriend/girlfriend again, or engaged again? The following summer we were planning a week long road trip to cover as many western states we could, focusing on the ones we'd never been to. As we were going over the route he asked if we would be going through Nevada. I told him no, because we'd been through Nevada the summer before. He said he'd like to go, but I kept saying no (stubborn me). He then said that he wanted to go through there so we could get married. I, of course, softened on my stance, and we were married a month later on the beach of Lake Tahoe. Twelve years ago last June.

Posted by: katy at July 15, 2009 1:16 PM

Mine is so similar to Jerce's that I thought I'd already posted, or that MrK had.

The Scene: Sittin' on the couch on some random autumn day.

Him: So, I was thinking we should get married.
Me: Okay.

I pick on him because I didn't get a big, fancy-schmancy, romantic proposal, but the truth is, I love our story because it's very much us. Simple, no frills.

Seven years this August, and I'm still blessed to be married to my best friend. I really love that little fucker.

Posted by: MrsK at July 15, 2009 1:21 PM

That poor girl. It's going to kill her when they divorce a few years later after he breaks it to her that he prefers the cock.

Posted by: Rebecca at July 15, 2009 1:59 PM

I love surprises, and Mr. Phaeolus knows it. A few days before Christmas '04, he suggested we go out to breakfast. Over breakfast, he surprised me with tickets to A Christmas Carol. Then at intermission, he surprised me with reservations at a fancy restaurant. (Keep in mind, this is right before Christmas, so I think this is all a Christmas present.) Over dessert, he then tells me we are not going home afterwards, but to a lakeside B&B. At this point, I am thinking this is the best Christmas present ever. When we get to the B&B, I find flowers and candles all over the room. He offers me my Advent calendar (it's a family tradition- every day we get chocolate!), and instead of my daily chocolate piece, he has affixed diamond earrings inside. I turn around, and he's on one knee with the ring. He arranged the whole thing, got friends to bring over the flowers and candles, and called my advisor to get me the following day off work - and totally counted on me mistaking the whole thing for a Christmas present. It was a great day.

Posted by: Phaeolus at July 15, 2009 2:52 PM

Mine is sweet and for my memory only, but allow me to exploit the engagement story of a high school mate.

Girl and Boy met drunk and silly in a bar. Girl and Boy dated and eventually moved in together. Girl and Boy began talking marriage. Girl became obsessed with rings, cakes, flowers and centrepieces. But mostly rings. Girl dropped hints to Boy about her favourite rings, but Boy was a moron, and so said nothing. One day Girl dragged Boy to the mall and told him that they would be buying a ring. Boy continued to be a moron, and so said nothing. Girl and Boy took the ring home, where Boy stuck it in his underwear drawer, where it lived for the next two months.

Girl became impatient. Boy remained obstinate and, as always, a moron. More time passed and Girl began to freak out, until one day she snapped. Turning to him on the sofa as they watched the evening news she said, "So you're just never going to give me that goddamn ring, are you?" Boy stood up, his jaw flexed, and walked out of the room. He returned seconds later and, standing in the door of the livingroom, fired the box at her lap, proclaiming, "There's your fucking ring. Now fucking stop talking about it." The end.

No, really, the end - they got divorced six months after the wedding because he cheated her during their honeymoon.

The worst part of the above story? She'd tell it with PRIDE, like it was charming that he hurled the ring at her with the speed of a major league pitcher. So I've called him a moron, but I'm really not sure who's the bigger idiot.

Posted by: KittyKitty at July 15, 2009 3:13 PM

So we were out with friends down on Freemont Street in Las Vegas in front of Hogs and Heifers, a dirty biker bar.

It was bike night and the roads were blocked off so we were standing in the middle of the road.We were pretty toasted & I made some witty comment and a friend turned to my future hubby and said "Marry her, marry her now, if you don't marry her, I will"

Future hubs turns to me, gets down on one knee and says:

Him: "Poopface*, will you marry me"

Me: "Oh Poop, well #1 you have to ask my fathers permission first and #2 Neil Diamond has to be at the wedding."

Him: How the fuck am I going to pull that off?

Me: I dunno that's your problem.

We laughed about that for a while becuase we knew we would eventually get married.

He surprised me 2 months later, he took me to a fancy dinner, and after dessert, he got down on one knee again, pulled out his great grandmothers heirloom ring, which is gorgeous and again he said "Poopface, will you marry me?" I of course said "Yes".

He had waited two months to ask again because he first had to work up the courage to ask my father, and try to arrange for Neil Diamond to be at our wedding (which he quickly found out was impossible). I like the drunken Hogs & Heifers proposal though so that's the one I always tell.

*we started calling each other Poop and Poopface early on in our relationship and neither of us can recall how or why it started of course

Posted by: ashes at July 15, 2009 4:19 PM

Man, I love reading these stories. Just found a sweet non-fake video over at Bacon is my Enemy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MUcFf0uWP8

Posted by: K at July 15, 2009 5:52 PM

Aww, I'm way too late to the party. But what the hell, here goes anyway.

In October 2000, the mister-to-be comes to visit me at grad school for the first time. He's living a 14 hour ferry ride (or an expensive flight) away--and after four years of being in university together and a year of being within reasonable driving distance, it's a bit of an adjustment. But we're up for it.

On the evening he arrives, I drag the poor darling along to a Halloween party. After the party, I collapse in my bed with a good buzz on, traces of kitty cat makeup on my face, and (this part usually gets left out when I tell the story, but I like you guys) not a stitch of clothing.

At this point, mister-to-be starts acting all jittery and nervous and finally says, "I was going to wait and ask you at (local scenic tourist spot), but I've had this for over a month and I just can't wait any more." So suave, eh? But how could I say no to that?! Besides, I was drunk--my defenses were down!

Posted by: meaux at July 15, 2009 7:40 PM

Mine was boring, but I loved my brother's. The entire family was helping my father celebrate his 70th birthday, and we started with the gifts from the oldest sibling down. Bill is the youngest, and he had a long wait, but finally, he walks up to dad and says,

"Dad, I'm a poor college student, so I didn't buy you anything, but I'd like to give you another daughter if she'll have me."

Still makes me tear up...

Posted by: funtime42 at July 15, 2009 8:52 PM

I had been bugging my hubbster to propose for months and months. And months. Little did I know that it was in the works... He called it "Plan A" and I kept trying to wrestle details out of him. "Where are you going to do it?" "Will it be around the holidays?" Things like that. He would answer the questions, but of course he wasn't telling the truth, so he could keep me off the scent. It got to the point where I had asked so many questions, he forgot what he had answered.

I get a call from my (now) brother in law, who was going to college at Hubbster's and my alma mater, inviting us up for a weekend. I ask the Hubbster, and he says yeah, sounds fun, if you want to.

So we're in the car on our way to the college, and Hubbster says that he made me a mixed tape (yes, mixed tape - we're old school). This is not unusual - since we met in college, Hubbster has been making me mixed tapes. I'm listening to the songs, and after a bit I turn to the Hubbster and ask about when he's going to be taking some of his vacation days (he had said that he'd be taking some of his vacation time to enact Plan A). Hubbster answers, "Around the holidays." I get ticked... I had told Hubbster that I didn't want the proposal to be linked to any other special days, and he forgot that he told me he'd be taking those vacation days to enact Plan A. I get totally pissed, and start yelling at him - shit or get off the pot. Why don't you want to marry me? What the hell???

He's all silent. In the meantime, the mixed tape is playing. The songs include "Long December" by Counting Crows, "Ice Cream" by Sarah McLachlan, and "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic." Songs that the Hubbster had said would never be on a mixed tape, because he was saving them for "something special." I'm yelling and yelling at him to talk, dammit.

We arrive, and make up, but I'm still really pissed. The next day, we're walking around town, and we go to the place where we would do the crossword puzzle in the school paper as undergraduates. Hubbster pulls out the cassette tape cover from his pocket... it is a thing with him that you don't get the cover until you listen to the tape, so you can't see ahead to what the next song is going to be. So, I'm looking at the cassette cover and reading the songs. At the bottom of the listing on side two, there's a question mark. All of the songs are accounted for though - I didn't think there was any sort of hidden track, so I ask Hubbster about it. He says to me, "You're reading it wrong - read it top to bottom, not across."

The first letter of each song on the first side spelled out "NICOLE WILL" and the second side spelled "YOU MARRY ME?" Hence the question mark...

So, while I was bitching out my Hubbster on the ride up, he was proposing...

I say, "You shit. I can't believe you're doing this to me here."

He says to me, "Here's the part where you apologize for yelling at me."

Turns out, he had asked Brother In Law to call me and invite us up for the weekend, so it would seem like my idea, and I'd be thrown off the scent.

Shit worked.

We just celebrated five years this past May.

Posted by: La Femme Nikita at July 15, 2009 10:29 PM

screw all of that - this is the best proposal:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/8151167.stm

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Posted by: william at July 17, 2009 6:22 AM

I am in the middle of planning my proposal. She is an amazing woman. She is also picky, demanding, and wants a surprise/romantic proposal. we picked out a ring quite a while ago, but now i'm "ready"...and I am FREAKING THE EFF OUT!!!

This thread had me all knotted up. I'm glad that the "intense" women of pajiba who had fights and or debacles surround their proposal seem to be happy in spite of that. Because I am pretty much at the point where I feel that no matter what I do, she's gonna have a problem with it. She'll say yes, but later will come the "I wish you had___instead of___"

like i said, freeeaaakkiiing ooouuuuttt!

Posted by: VinKong at July 17, 2009 1:33 PM

Late to the thread, but lots of these stories are melting my cold, black, recently single heart.

I've been proposed to once, if you count a proposal as a drunk dial from (another) ex: "I know you're going to say no, but I'm going to ask anyway." You're right, I am going to say no.

My dad proposed to my stepmom a few years ago. They came down to Boston to visit, and one night they went out to dinner at the Top Of The Hub. Dad proposed before dinner, and my stepmom was crying through the whole meal. The other people in the restaurant thought they'd had a horrible fight:D

Posted by: Sarah at July 17, 2009 5:07 PM

Thanks for the ideas, very useful.
If you want to surprise your partner, you should design her the ring of her dreams by your own.
Send your sketch to www.diamonds-usa.com/pages/computer_aided_design.asp
and see what they can do for you.

Posted by: Steve at July 18, 2009 12:22 PM