The 3 sweetest proposals
I am always the first to start to cry at the wedding of someone else, but when it comes to myself… I just don’t know. It could very well be that I’m the only girl on earth who has never dreamed of a white dress, a cascading bouquet and a veil on my head. With all that money given for just that one day and the dress I could buy myself 50 Gucci’s. Also, just imagine that that over anticipated day turns out not to be the most beautiful day of your life. Then there you are; all glammed up and completely over it.
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I have already been with the love of my life for 13 years, we have three children, a house and two cars. More and more frequently of late our daughters have been asking us the why question (‘Why are you not married?’) and the when question (‘When are you getting married?’). It seems as though the marriage theme is indeed popping up more often. Not that I expect it to happen in the near future, but I’m starting to get my head around the whole idea and coming to a good place with the thought of it.
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Given the the marriage hype is now in full swing, it is important for the men to pick up their act and begin with Step 1: The proposal.
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I get a severe rash every time I see a type of perfectwedding.com site with their advice for a picnic in the park proposal: ‘For the romantic nature lovers, a picnic proposal is ideal! Together on a rug, in the sunlight or an evening by candlelight…. no one to see you or bother you! For the bride-to-be who doesn’t like to be in the spotlight, a remote location is perfect. This way she can be relaxed about showing her emotions and comfortably enjoy the moment with her husband-to-be.’ Oh boy, it’s enough to make you not want to do it at all. If he has laid a path of rose petals leading to candles shaped in a heart formation….. Then you need to run, yelling ‘Noooooo’ as you flee.
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But even for the marriage cynic like myself, there are a few proposals that I too can be touched by. Even brought to tears. Gentlemen, pay attention here. If you do this you are sorted. Signed, sealed, delivered, she’s yours.
Put the kids to work
I know a very lovely woman who already had a child with her boyfriend. They went with a group of friends to Ibiza where she was to be playing records (you got it, hip mom slash DJ). On arrival their friends went out grocery shopping and her guy asked her to stay back at the apartment with him. They stood by the pool together while their one and a half year old daughter, innocently tottered up to them. When she got closer the woman saw the T-shirt her daughter was wearing and it said: “Mommy, will you marry daddy?” I need to shed a tear just writing this one down.
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Hang it up
A local celebrity once told of how he recently surprised his partner while she was on location in Japan. Secretly, he assigned someone from her production team to fill her room with heart shaped balloons and I do believe that perhaps some chocolates were also brought into play. After a hard day at work and also feeling a little homesick, she arrived to her room to find this.
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On hearing this I immediately had to know what his proposal story was. You’ll be surprised to know that I was not turned off. She was in New York for work and he surprised her by turning up to her doorstep. She liked the spontaneity of his visit, but was not completely blown away by it. This was a typical sort of thing that he was known to do, so she thought. One evening they took a walk in Time Square together and he said ‘Look up’. On one of the huge billboards in the square there was a gigantic picture of the two of them. She was silent for a while. As I would be too. Then he asked if she wanted ‘it’ to be with him. Luckily she could very well say ‘yes’.
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Take the lead
Why do we need to wait until the man finally drops to his knees to ask the big question. We are strong, independent women right? Think about how Miranda asked Steve ‘over a beer’. That is true romance. I also know a couple where the woman called her guy and asked him over the phone if it wasn’t a bad idea if they were to get married. He said yes and they have been happily married for many many years. I find that very romantic. Simply because it’s so pure.
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Let me know me your proposal story? Who knows, you may inspire me.
