Just Engaged and Proposals

Engaged over the holidays? Share your story & you can win!

Happy New Year, Knotties! Did any of you get engaged over the holidays? Congratulations to all you brides-to-be!

To celebrate (and kick off your wedding planning) we are giving away our newest publication: The Knot Complete Guide to Weddings (as well as two editions of our magazine) to 5 lucky winners.

All you need to do is respond to this post and share with us how you got engaged this holiday season!


You have until tomorrow (1/4/13) by 11:59 EST to submit! We're looking forward to reading all your stories!

-Knot Jennifer

For official Just Engaged 2013 Sweepstakes rules, see this link:
http://www.xoedge.com/rules/2013/just-engaged-2013-sweepstakes-official-rules.pdf
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Re: Engaged over the holidays? Share your story & you can win!

  • My fiance and I are big NFL fans so when he proposed on Thanksgiving, right after the Redskins/Cowboys game, I was shocked! I recapped the whole event on my blog! http://drunkondiscounts.wordpress.com/2012/11/27/dum-dum-da-dum/

    Happy 2013!
    Madeline Kronfeld
    Madeline
  • My fiance was finishing her final semester of college this december and had always told me that she wanted to be done with school before she was engaged. She had also once told me in passing that she'd like to be dressed up and have photos from when she was engaged. 

    So a few weeks before her last final exam, I asked her if I could take her out to dinner after she finished her last exam and celebrate her being finished with school. I made sure to tell her we'd be going to her favorite place and that I'd be dressing up for the occasion. The day of her final exam, I sent her a text in the morning showing her what I was wearing for the day (dress shirt/regular tie) and reminded her to dress up. 

    That evening, while she was in her final exam, I was outside the building setting up a surprise proposal which included a rose petal and  candle-lit pathway and me in a tux! When she finished her final she walked out of the building and was happily surprised to see me standing there. I sang her a song and walked over to her brought her to the center of a heart of roses on the ground and asked her to marry me. Before I could even finish asking her she said yes. All of her classmates happened to be standing behind us by this point and started clapping wildly after I got back up and we hugged and kissed. 

    But thats not the end! I still took her out to dinner at her favorite restaurant, and I reserved the entire balcony for just the two of us to have a nice, private and romantic dinner. It was a perfect night for the two of us :) 

  • Well its been a long 12 years! My fiance and I met each other when we were working at Sports Authority, I still remember the first day I met him. I was 16 years old, and I saw him walk by as I was signing my papers to start, my manager says to me "Don't even think about it Ashley, he's a "bad boy". Clearly I did not listen, we went back and forth for years and never were able to make it work. He is an avid fisherman, he fishes every waking moment, me I played sports such as softball and cheerleading. I took on the fishing and actually have come to enjoy it. My favorite moments with him are on the beach with rods in our hands. I think I won him over when I made him the bouqet of fishing lures for Valentines Day. (Hey we all get flowers on Valentines Day, thought I'd do something creative for him). After years of fighting for his heart, I finally won it. On De
    cember 23rd, the hardcore fisherman, and firefighter got down on one knee in Rockefeller Center in NYC infront of a large crowd and asked me to marry him. I had no idea, he brought a bookbag with him for the adventure to the city, we had made plans to go see the Rockettes, and he said we needed to pack many clothes because we were going to be cold. So he put extra socks and apparently my Christmas Stocking. He asked the photographer from NBC Studios how much it would be to take pictures, he agreed to the price and asked him to hold on while he put his stuff down. I put my purse down and was standing in front of the tree staring up at the tree, I turned around to see him holding my stocking. I was confused, he said I needed to take a picture with the stocking and that he also had presents for me. He pulled out three presents all wrapped and all numbered. Well turned out he misnumbered them he gave me what he thought was #1 but turned out to be #3 it was a Christmas ornament of a man on his knee and a ring held up to a girl. And in the corner hand written in the hear it said "2012, Marry Me". I looked down and he was looking in his coat pocket, I asked him "wait did you just ask me to marry you???" And he goes "Crap wrong one, but YES hold on!!" And stumbled to get the box out of this gorgeous bag he wrapped it in, and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes! He actually had three ornaments, the first one was supposed to be a firefighter (he is a volunteer firefighter) that had "Will" written on his shirt, the second a princess carriage that said "You Ashley" and the last the man on his knee "2012 Marry Me." I have been in love with him since the day I met him. We have come a long way in our relationship and every morning I wake up to see the ring is there and that it wasn't a dream. I get to marry the man of my dreams...literally!



  • My fianc is in the Army and was scheduled to return home on the 23rd. My entire family was planning a dinner on the night of the 22nd with my dad's business partner. To my complete and utter surprise, when my sister and I arrived at my parents house instead of my dad's business partner being there my hubbytobe was standing at the door waiting for me. The two of us went to dinner without my family as my parents said it was planned all along to surprise me with a romantic dinner alone. In the weeks prior, I had been bugging my beau about the amount of pictures we have together, or lack there of, and he found that nights dinner to be a photo opportunity to remember the surprise he had been planning. He gestured to have our waitress come to the table and asked her to snap a few shots of us. When she returned the camera phone I, being a woman, reached to grab the phone to see if the picture was acceptable. When I finally ripped the phone out of his grip, the four words every girl dreams of we're written on the screen: Will You Marry Me? It was by far the best surprise, Christmas present and memorable moment of my life. Although, in the heat of the moment the pictures were accidentally deleted. : oops! Plenty more pictures to come!
  • My fiancé is beyond thoughtful, caring and loving. We met at the start of grad school at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and haven't (technically) left each other's side since 2005. When we graduated in 2007, I took a job in upstate NY and he took at job in Asheville, NC.  After three years, I got tired of the extreme long distance, he moved to upstate NY but we were still two hours apart. After a year of him being in NY, I moved within an hour of him. It was an awesome year. I recently took a job in northeast Ohio so here we are again -- hours apart. During this time, my father and grandfather passed away, I was hospitalized twice, had a major surgery and hit a deer. Wherever he was in the country, he always managed to just show up and be there for me.  His mother passed away in 1996 and he was raised by his maternal grandmother.
    During the summer, my mother was moving houses and we found a ring my father always wore. I accidentally left this ring in my fiancé's car. I hosted Thanksgiving this year since his family lives about 30 minutes from me in Cleveland and it would be a nice way to have both families bond.  Unfortunately, my mother couldn't make it but she promised to visit the day after my birthday in December, after she picked up my little brother for winter break from his first semester of college. I told her that we could have dinner with both families and call it even.
    Ryan went above and beyond and was able to have my best friends and his best friend there for the "birthday" dinner. We showed up at the restaurant and sat down. Ryan had a decoy gift that he adamently wanted me to open so that it would make me mad. It was a Keurig and he knew I didn't want one. Misson one, accomplished. His little brother stood up, got everyone's attention and started reading lines from our favorite song, "Back at One," by Brian McKnight. My little brother stood up and started reading lines, my best friend stood up and was reading lines as did his best friend. 
    I look over at Ryan and he's in tears, which naturally made me tear up. Ryan asked me to marry him and I said, "I'll need 24 hours to think about it," and my mom shot me this look and said, "you've had a long enough time to think about it, you need to tell him yes!" I said YES and he put the ring on my finger. With all that was going on, I didn't realize he was trying to get my attention to give me the story behind the ring; he took that ring my dad wore all the time and had a piece of it melted into the bottom of my engagement ring.  His late mother was born in August and he has two August birthstones that set on the bottom of the stones that he has set for each year we've been together. I cried uncontrollably when he told me this. I love this man to pieces, I love sharing this story and can't wait to have his last name.

         
    Dad's ring melted into bottom of band 


    Green stone is his mother's August birthstone

  • courtney4284courtney4284 member
    First Comment
    edited January 2013
    We had just finished my family's white elephant gift exchange on Christmas Eve, so there was a group of 14 of us sitting in a circle in my grandmother's living room. Corey, my now fianc, announced there was one more gift to unwrap and made a big production out of how I had been begging for hints for my Christmas gift. I laughed and rolled my eyes because I wouldn't call what I had done "begging" I just really wanted a Keurig for Christmas! So he asked me to close my eyes and I did by covering my hands over my eyes and peaking through my fingers. My family all laughed and called me out, so my aunt covered my eyes with her hand. When she removed her hand, there was Corey, on bender knee in front of me. He looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, "Courtney, you are my best friend. You are the love of my life. Will you please make my Christmas wish come true? Courtney, will you marry me?" And then he opened the ring box, exposing the most beautiful and perfect ring for me. Of course I said yes, and then my father popped the champagne. Our family went around the room giving us toasts of congratulations and wellwishes. It was the best proposal and will live in my memory for always. P.S: I received my Keurig from him on Christmas morning. Haha!
  • Jake and I have been dating for almost five years.  He has been wonderful to both me and my three children (from a previous marriage), one who is shaken baby survivor.  He has really become a father figure to them.  Last May he came to me and said that he wanted to make a career change from an electronics engineer to a commercial diver.  I knew I had to let him follow his dream, so with a heavy heart I dropped him off over 750 miles away in Florida for school.  Since then I have gotten to see him twice...including this Christmas holiday. 

    December 23rd was the 9 year anniversary of my daughter's injury.  I am an emergency room nurse and came home around 11:30 pm on the 22nd.  Jake made small talk and asked me about my day.  After the clock had passed midnight he had me sit in his chair in the living room and close my eyes.  He must have been nervous because as soon as I heard the click of the ring box opening he blurted out "will you marry me?"  I was so shocked that I almost forgot to answer him Embarassed

    Long story quite short, the man of my dreams took a day that for nine years was the worst day of my life and has turned it around.  It will no longer be filled with sorrow, but now hope of a better future, not only for myself, but also our family. 
  • It was Christmas Eve and we both had to work but Will was getting out early. I called him a few minutes before he was supposed to leave work to see what his plans were and he told me he had a company buffet he had to go to so he would be home later. Of course, I know him so well that I knew he was lying… and for the first time ever! So, being the overly curious person that I am, I tracked him via IPhone and found out he was in Saratoga. I thought that he had forgotten a Christmas present for me and being that he’s been so busy, I’d give him a pass. Little did I know he was driving for 2 hours to ask my family if he could marry me!!!

    His proposal was waiting for me on our tree Christmas eve! <3 We do an ornament exchange every year and this year he made me close my eyes and led me over to the tree where I did a quadrupedal take! My beautiful ring was adorned on the left hand of a monkey ornament (I call him 'monkey' sometimes)! He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! I was in such shock that I couldn't even speak... it took me about a minute in a half to answer 'YES'! It was probably the longest minute and a half of Will’s life.. poor guy. Now we couldn't be happier and are enjoying being engaged as we plan our wedding and look forward to spending the rest of our lives together. :)


  • I got engaged last June and it was definitely one of the best moments of my life. I lost my mom suddenly in April after she suffered a severe asthma attack. He had to drop his job and everything he was doing to come to my side and help me pick up the pieces after her passing. I'm truly grateful for him and his selfless act. I did not expect anymore from him but he definitely blew that out of the water. We had to run my parents business and one day he told me he had errands to run. Needless to say, he was off buying the ring and gathering my closest friends and family at my house for a lifechanging ultimate surprise. I came home from work and was blind folded and led into my house. When I removed the blind fold, it was the most beautiful sight. He was on one knee with a gorgeous ring, and there were candles downstairs in the living room spelling out "say yes" and the best part was having my support system all there to witness it. It was the ultimate pick me upper I needed after my mom's passing. I couldn't have asked for a better timing or location.
  • edited January 2013
    Sean told me to be dressed nice when he got home from work on December 28th. He took me to see The Wizard of Oz at a little theater in town. He knew this was my favorite movie. After the movie we went to a fancy restaurant just down the street from the theater. After dinner he insisted we take a walk around the downtown area even though it was freezing cold out. The whole area was still decorated for Christmas and there was snow all around. we walked to the middle of a round about where he said he had a question to ask me. He got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife.
  • My birthday is the 27th, 2 days after Christmas and Rex took me to a nice Italian restaurant. shoutout to Natalia's in Macon, Ga! I expected a nice dinner, but did not expect AT ALL the surprise that came with dessert! I saw that 2 waiters were coming toward us, one with cheesecake, my favorite! and the other with a camera. I was excited that they were going to take our picture, so I turned to put my arm around Rex, and I guess I was so excited about the cheesecake, that I didn't even notice he had pulled a small black box from his pocket. Right as the waiter set the cake down in front of me, Rex opened the box and said "Rachel, will you marry me?" I was so shocked that all I could do is scream oh my God! then I said yes, and the whole restaurant clapped and cheered just like in the movies : he had the ring specially made, and included amethysts which is my favorite stone. it was the single sweetest night of my entire life!
  • My fiance and I had a beautiful baby girl 9 months ago. First, I was told I could not get pregnant, but we proved them wrong! I was a high risk pregnancy and ended up having to have an emergency c-section at 7 months. I went in for a scheduled test and our baby was soon-to-be still born. She was not breathing when she was born and needed assistance. A month and a half later, we took her home. 

    It has not been an easy 9 months with our baby. With constant doctor appointments and health issues, it takes its toll on a relationship. WIth high stress comes fights. 

    My fiance proposed earlier than he planned because he told me that he wanted me to know that despite the stress, he was going to spend the rest of his life with me. He designed the ring and made sure our little girl saw it first. He made sure to proposed with her because he wasn't just asking for me to be his wife, he was reaffirming that we are a family for life. 

    Our baby girl is a miracle, but my fiance changed my life.
  • Every year my best friend, her husband, and my boyfriend do a gift exchange on Christmas Eve, followed by dinner. This year my best friend had called me to say that she and her husband got a hotel room for the night and suggested we do the gift exchange in the room before going out for the night. After a couple phone calls from the lobby of the Buena Vista Palace Resort and Spa, my boyfriend and I found our way to the 8th floor. We wandered around a bit until we found the room and when we arrived the door was propped open... My boyfriend pulled me inside and to my surprise the room was covered in rose petals and candles EVERYWHERE. I immediately began to cry as he got down on one knee and proposed! I was in shock! And after I said yes, we headed back down to the lobby where my mom and best friends were waiting for me! BEST DAY EVER.
  • Larizzo1Larizzo1 member
    First Comment
    edited January 2013
    My fiance and I were in Washington D.C. at the Round Robin lounge in the Willard Hotel enjoying the drink they're most famous for the mint julep! We were there before dinner and as we were about to leave he proposed! Best day of my life!!
  • My fiance, Matt and I got engaged on Christmas Eve. We have been together for almost six years so I was completely shocked because I thought it would never happen. We spent the first part of Christmas Eve at the firehouse where he volunteers delivering toys to the kids in town with Santa on the firetruck. I even commented to our friend who was playing Santa that it would be adorable if someone proposed to their girlfriend via a gift from Santa (Santa knew and just laughed!). After that, we went home to open gifts and "watch the lights on the tree" at my fiance's request. He was stressing me out as I was having ten people for Christmas dinner and needed to get everything done! He took the ring off my finger that I usually wear on my left hand and wouldn't give it back! I started to get mad but then he got down on one knee and said" what if I give you this one instead?" And then (after I fell off the couch in shock), we lived happily after ;-)
  •  This video made by my sister who played paparazzi during our propsal tells our engagement story best. In a nutshell : picnic proposal in a Philadelphia park where we spent many days of early dating, horse and carriage ride to one of our first date restaurants, inside the restaurant my parents and family were waiting as a last surprise (my fiance flew them in from Florida for the weekend! ). Perfect day :) 

  • On December 22, Grayson handed me a Christmas card in which he revealed that he planned a surprise trip to the mountains for Christmas the two of us.  I had less than one day to pack!  I was looking forward to spending a few days with him away from everyone and everything else.  As we were driving up the mountain to our cabin, we missed one turn for our cabin.  As we were turning around, I saw his mom behind us.  When we got to the cabin, his sister and brother-in-law were waiting.  I was very surprised! I thought that he decided that he wanted to spend Christmas with his family and that this was a fun way to do it. I was very surprised.

    Later that night, the doorbell rang.  We assumed that it was the security guard again telling us about another complaint about our exterior lights being on.  It was not the security guard.  It was my mom, dad, and younger brother.  I was very confused, because my dad is in the middle of chemotherapy treaments and had been experiencing a very rough week. I could not believe that he drove seven hours to be with us for Christmas!  Little did I know, one more surprise awaited. On Christmas Day, I awoke bright and early. Grayson told me to go get a cup of coffee and then get another card from the Christmas tree. I opened the card to find a short story about how much he loved me and how he wanted to spend all of his Christmases with me.  As I finished reading, he got down on one knee and proposed!  His brother in law was in the room with us and managed to get part of it on video... The part where I forgot to say, "yes!"  He had to ask me again.  I was completely speechless.

    It all made sense...  The fact that my dad slipped up and told me that he was taking their dog to the vet.  His excuse was that she needed a good bath... I believed him!  Also, this explained why my dad mustered enough strength to make it to our vacation spot - he knew that I was being proposed to.  He was the only one who knew. Grayson is an amazing person and I am so thankful he pulled our families together to make my Christmas so special! I am also so excited to spend the rest of my life with him!


  • My fiance and I were celebrating our two year anniversary and thought it would be a cool idea to reenact our first date. So we went to the restaurant that we had dinner at on our first date, and then instead of going on a boat ride my fiance told me he had a different surprise for me. We went down by the lake and a gondola pulls up with a cute Italian man steering the boat. He told me that was the suprise and we were going to go on a little ride. It started raining a bit, so my fiance told the Italian man to just go on a short ride under a bridge that goes over the lake. As soon we went under the bridge, my fiance told me to look up and two of our friends were holding a banner that said "Autumn will you marry me?" He then got on one knee, and asked me to marry him. I instantly starting crying and said "yes of course!" He even had his friend photographing the whole thing since I told him once that I thought it would be cool to have the engagement on camera. It was such a wonderful surprise!
  • We were playing Scattegories on Christmas and the letter was "E." One of the topics was "things you hide" he had written "engagement ring." As I looked at him and jokingly said "oh are you trying to say something", he said yes and pulled out the ring in front of my entire family! he said he knew he wanted to do it before New Years but had no exact plans, he was waiting for the right sign. I'd say he did an amazing job.
  • Mine was very simple and romantic. We just got back into town from my brothers wedding. We were sitting down watching a movie when my fianc came over to my chair and gave me a massage. He then proceeded to give me a foot massage and then all of a sudden I look and he pushes in my chair and gets on one knee and says He can't wait to spend the rest of his life with me. He gave me a gorgeous ring and asked me to be his wife!
  • My fiance and I have a yellow lab named Luke. He is has been a tru blessing to both of us. My fiance tells me that Luke waitsfor me to come home at the front door. When he hears my heels he gets excited and can't wait to give me kissed when I get in the door. I walked in from work one day to find Luke with a note attached to his collar that read: " Mom, Dad has a very important question to ask you." I knew as soon as I read it what was happening. I walked into the living room and my fiance was down on one knee, I don't think he even got the question out before I was on the floor crying and saying yes!! Luke was right beside him giving us plenty of kisses!! It was the perfect proposal for our perfect little family. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_just-engaged-proposals_engaged-of-the-holidays-share-your-story-you-can-win?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:683Discussion:fb67956a-802e-44b2-8c8d-cd8f7195b81fPost:4f43b57d-7a90-444c-85d3-57fdf4a52779">Engaged over the holidays? Share your story & you can win!</a>:
    [QUOTE]Happy New Year, Knotties! Did any of you get engaged over the holidays? Congratulations to all you brides-to-be! To celebrate (and kick off your wedding planning) we are giving away our newest publication: The Knot Complete Guide to Weddings (as well as two editions of our magazine) to 5 lucky winners. All you need to do is respond to this post and share with us how you got engaged this holiday season! You have until tomorrow (1/4/13) by 11:59 EST to submit! We're looking forward to reading all your stories! -Knot Jennifer For official Just Engaged 2013 Sweepstakes rules, see this link: <a href="http://www.xoedge.com/rules/2013/just-engaged-2013-sweepstakes-official-rules.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.xoedge.com/rules/2013/just-engaged-2013-sweepstakes-official-rules.pdf</a>
    Posted by Knot Jennifer[/QUOTE]

    After being a bridesmaid 8 times and seeing all my dear friends marry the ones they love its finally my turn to marry the one I love, here is my proposal story.

    On December 25, 2012 is the day I'll never forget. My boyfriend of 4 1/2 years, brings me this BIG box, as I proceed to open the box, in the big box is another box, I open that box, inside that box was yet another box, the boxes kept getting smaller and smaller, until finally I get to the red fabric box. I open the box and look inside and notice that the box was empty and I looked up at him in confusion and said the box is empty where is the gift. My boyfriend had this confused look on his face and proceed to play the game of looking for the present, as he gets up from the couch he starts moving the boxes and wrapping paper and said, O here it is you dropped it, and gets down on one knee pulls out a ring box and asks me to marry me. I immediately say yes and started crying. 
  • My boyfriend of 8 1/2 years and father of our 2 kids was determined to make my birthday last year special so he was planning dinner with friends, family the whole thing but when he found out none of my family could make it (since my birthday is the day after xmas) while we were visiting them a few weeks before xmas and having a nice family dinner.We all got to talking and I told him not to worry I was use to no one making it because of conflicts in scheduling. He said no you never get to have your own day, so he grabbed my moms phone which had a picture of my engagement ring on it, said this is not at all how I wanted to do this but, will you marry me? as he turned the phone around. I dreamed of this day and to me it was one of the best day of my life I put my arms around him I was speechless and all I could do was cry, he said Im sorry nothing was perfect about this and I dont even have your ring with me, I was finally able to say YES and said everthing was perfect about it, even our 5 year old daughter cried it was such a special day, a memory forever. I now have my ring and began planning our day we will remember, for when I look at my ring I remember every moment of that day.
  • On December 22, 2012, my family, boyfriend, and I made our way to Rock City to see the Enchanted Garden of Lights. Now keep in mind this is 8 hours from our house!! Of course me and my boyfriend (Dusty) have discussed rings and weddings and so on, but never did I expect anything so romantic!! Anyways, as we walked down the trails we get to the edge of the mountain and are looking out across the cities at the lights and he starts saying I love you and so on and as I am focusing on this car driving below I look over and he is on one knee!! He was shaking and it was so adorable. I was crying and after saying yes I turned around to find my entire family videoing!!! I was so happy and still to this day cannot believe it!! :)


  • My now fiancée and I have been together for 4 1/2 years, although we have known each other for 8 years. I was getting on his case, in a playful manner, for about 2 years to propose and buy a ring.  I told him my ideas on what I would like, and even tried on engagement rings with him and gave him SKU numbers and my ring size. I told him that I did not want to get engaged on a holiday like Valentines Day or Christmas because I thought it was cheesy and lame and that those days are already special that I want it to be some random day when he tells me that he wants me by his side forever. Well, typical Ryan fashion, he did not listen and he proposed to me on Christmas Eve in front of my entire family. 

    I had always told Ryan that while I am not an "old fashion" kind of girl, I do believe that he should ask my fathers permission.  He was outside with my Dad cooking dinner and he asked his permission. My Dad of course said yes (he has 2 daughters so Ryan would be the son he never had). My Dad then told Ryan that he needed to ask my Mom's permission. My Mom said yes and asked Ryan how he was going to do it and he said he had no idea, she also asked when he was going to do it and he said in about 2 hours... Nothing like last minute with him. There are 15 people at Christmas Eve at my house and we all take turns opening presents. My turn came and went and so did everyone else's. Before we all got up and everyone started getting ready to leave Ryan told me I had one more gift.  It was a long rectangular box deep enough to hold a stuffed animal (I was not expecting what was about to come next!) As I opened the box there was a piece of paper in it on top of a stuffed animal penguin. That paper said in big bold black letters 'WILL YOU MARRY ME??" I was shocked! I just sat there looking at the paper trying to register what these words said. After what seemed like forever I finally comprehended what was going on and realized that this was the moment I was waiting years for. I buried my head in my hands and smiled from ear to ear.  Ryan whispered in my ear, will you marry me babe and I smiled and said yes! I looked down at the penguin in the box and saw my perfect engagement ring that I had envisioned in my head right in front of me tied around the penguins neck. Ryan put the ring on my finger and it was a perfect fit! No one in my family aside from my Mom and Dad knew that this was going to happen.  My aunt was taking pictures of the whole thing so I have pictures to show my children one day instead of just stories.  I couldn't have asked for a better proposal from a better guy.
  • EkieseckerEkiesecker member
    First Comment
    edited January 2013
    I was attending culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris from November until right before Christmas. My Birthday is the 17th of December and on December 8, 2012 my boyfriend had arranged for our photographer friend who lives in Paris, to meet me for what I thought was an "Early Birthday Surprise." Little did I know my boyfriend who had been in Paris with me at the beginning, (but who left to go back to work in the U.S.), flew BACK to Paris to surprise me and propose! Not only were we in my favorite part of Paris, Montmartre, but our photographer friend caught the entire moment on camera! People around us were cheering and taking photos! I was beyond surprised and it was the most romantic proposal I could have ever imagined! The ring was blinding and the moment was unforgettable! He definitely set the bar pretty high for proposals!


        

      


  • <div><span style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">Hi!</span><div style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">
    </div><div style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">My name is Hailey Hyde and my fiance is John Fricks. John and I have been together for a little over a year now. He proposed at the Rome, GA Christmas parade on Nov. 27! I can hardly find the words to describe how absolutely shocked I was and still am! </div><div style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">
    </div><div style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">John and I officially became a couple at the 2011 Christmas parade on Nov. 29, 2011. Knowing that Christmas is my favorite time of year he found this place most fitting to create two great memories for me. When John and I first met, we had many people try to discourage our relationship and even take steps to keep us a part. However, despite all of the negativity we received on both ends we just had a feeling about each other. I knew from the very beginning that John was much different from anyone I had ever met. </div><div style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">
    </div><div style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">The night John proposed was one I will never forget. We had been discussing rings and marriage for quite a while at this point and I knew John was saving money. However, weeks before he proposed he bought a house and I just knew that any hopes of getting a proposal and ring went flying out the door as he walked in the door of his new house. However, my relationship with John has been full of excitement and surprises from the day we met and this was no exception. Without me knowing John had secretly bought a ring and taken both of my parents out to breakfast to ask their permission to marry me.For weeks John, along with both of our families, had been planning the perfect engagement (how everyone kept it a secret I will never understand!). By the time Nov. 27 and the Christmas parade arrived, my Christmas excitement had been building since Halloween! The Christmas parade always signifies the beginning of Christmas for me and I couldn't wait. With predictions of rain I was worried the parade would be canceled (John more so than me haha). Luckily, we were able to load up about an hour before the parade began and headed to Broad Street. We met my parents, my sister (and two of her friends), and my nanna and papa in our regular spot on Broad just as tradition holds. We ran into two of my coworkers (who had been clued in on the surprise) not far away from where we were standing. Soon John's parents, brother and sister, and his grandmother showed up. I was a little confused at why his whole family was there, but I just assumed they loved Christmas just as much as I did! As we waited for the parade to start the women stood together talking and the men stood not far away. Minutes before the parade started John grabbed my arm and began to drag me into the street with promises of hot chocolate at the bakery across the street. However, knowing the parade was about to begin I DID NOT want to go and miss it. Before I knew it, we were in the middle of Broad Street and he was down on one knee! He then stood up and turned me around so I could see both of our sisters and two friends holding signs saying "Hailey will you marry me"! As people cheered and cameras flashed I promised my future to the man even my wildest dreams couldn't bring me. Moments later we were pulled aside and interviewed by the local newspaper (who John notified himself). Our families congratulated us with hugs and even some more tears. I don't remember seeing much of the parade at all! All I could do was laugh and cry. I could not have been more surprised or happy. </div><div style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">
    </div><div style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">I know many people say proposals during the Christmas season are "so cliche"; however, for my fiance and I nothing could have been more perfect. </div><div style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">
    </div><div style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">John teaches high school seniors at the local Alternative School and I will graduate from Shorter University in December 2013 with a degree in Early Childhood Education. We hope to get married in May of 2014 and are already busy with wedding ideas and planning. </div><div style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">
    </div><div style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">I've attached a couple of pictures as well as a link to a short video clip from the proposal! I hope you enjoyed reading our story as much as I did writing about it!</div></div><div style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">
    </div><div style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">Thanks!</div><div style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">-Hailey</div><div style="color:#222222;font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:normal;background-color:#ffffff;">
    </div><div style="background-color:#ffffff;"><a href="http://rn-t.com/view/full_story/20955915/article-Crowds-flock-to-Broad-Street-as-parade-brings-Christmas-to-Rome-?instance=article_results" target="_blank" title="The Proposal - Caught by the Rome News Tribune" rel="nofollow">http://rn-t.com/view/full_story/20955915/article-Crowds-flock-to-Broad-Street-as-parade-brings-Christmas-to-Rome-?instance=article_results </a></div>
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    <a href="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/images/store/6/8/7627f033-919b-4ea6-9884-aec415c768c6.large.jpg" title="Click to view a larger photo" class="PhotoLink"> <img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/images/store/6/8/7627f033-919b-4ea6-9884-aec415c768c6.medium.jpg" alt="" /></a>
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_just-engaged-proposals_engaged-of-the-holidays-share-your-story-you-can-win?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:683Discussion:fb67956a-802e-44b2-8c8d-cd8f7195b81fPost:4f43b57d-7a90-444c-85d3-57fdf4a52779">Engaged over the holidays? Share your story & you can win!</a>:
    [QUOTE]Happy New Year, Knotties! Did any of you get engaged over the holidays? Congratulations to all you brides-to-be! To celebrate (and kick off your wedding planning) we are giving away our newest publication: The Knot Complete Guide to Weddings (as well as two editions of our magazine) to 5 lucky winners. All you need to do is respond to this post and share with us how you got engaged this holiday season! You have until tomorrow (1/4/13) by 11:59 EST to submit! We're looking forward to reading all your stories! -Knot Jennifer For official Just Engaged 2013 Sweepstakes rules, see this link: <a href="http://www.xoedge.com/rules/2013/just-engaged-2013-sweepstakes-official-rules.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.xoedge.com/rules/2013/just-engaged-2013-sweepstakes-official-rules.pdf</a>
    Posted by Knot Jennifer[/QUOTE]
  • The date was December 22, 2012. I woke up with a cold coughing and wheezing. I knew I had a big date that night so I had to work out and get beautiful. Nick tells me what time to be ready and just to look cute for the first event. He takes me to the new Ross Perot Museum. The exhibits wind and lurch as you touch each exhibit and it springs to life. We are both amazed at everything we are learning throughout the museum. After this he lets me go home and get dressed ready for tonight's adventure. He takes me to Bob's Steak and Chop House. Knowing I do not like steak, he promises me some scrumptious seafood. The atmosphere is perfect as we eat our meals. He has prime rib and I have Chilean sea bass. He keeps telling me we are going far out of town so my mind is wandering. Finally as we leave we travel down the streets of historic Grapevine downtown. The magic of Christmas whips around me and I am smiling. We arrive at the Gaylord Texan.

    We walk through the middle of the Gaylord looking at everything and Nick is leading me to Gaylord Ice. I ask him how he knows where it is as he has never been before. He tells me he went many years ago. I find out this is one of the first "lies" of the night. We get down to it, but he decides since I am sick it won't be a good idea so I say, "Let's go take pictures." I love pictures so if I am ever down, just pose in a picture with me and all is well again. We find a fun sleigh we had seen before. Nick tells me that my camera isn't "good enough" and he is going to get a professional. I wait for about 15 minutes wondering what the heck he is doing. Finally he has a girl in tow with him. We get in the sleigh posing and smiling.

    He jumps over me to get out which I thought nothing of. As I step down the stairs, he gets on his knee. "What are you doing?" "Julie, you know you're the love of my life. Will you spend the rest of your life with me?" I think I said yes. All I know is I saw a sparkling ring and quickly slipped it on my own finger! The photographer is snapping away at this point. I am laughing and turning bright red. People are clapping. Nick is hugging me. I am shaking. I don't cry, I shake. It's just me! As we follow the photographer to retrieve our photos, Nick says, "Do you see the middle of the ring? It is your mother's diamond?" He specially designed the ring with his godfather who is a jeweler in Dallas.
  • My fiance and I have been together for 4 years (Nov. 24, 2012 was our 4 year anniversary), and we have talked about marriage for a while, but we weren't in any rush to get married. December 8, 2012 rolled around and my fiance said that he was going to work with his dad for the day. Now I didn't think anything at all about this seeing as my fiance is always working with his father. He left early that morning and didn't get home until 4:30 in the afternoon. I pretty much slept all day and was being lazy. He called me on his way home and he said he wanted to take me up to the Mt. Washington overlook. His reason to go up there was because we haven't been up there in a while and he wanted to take me to dinner. Mind you, Mt. Washington was where we first started dating and met each other. Still not realizing anything, he was rushing me out the door and thank god I didn't put any make up on, because I would have only had half a face on lol. We went to dinner at a place that we used to go to and decided to walk to the overlook and check out the city. We were walking and on the 2nd overlook balcony, he takes my hand and looks into my eyes, tells me how much he loves me and couldn't see himself with anyone else and that we have been through so much together. He then proceeds to get down on one knee and ask me to marry him. I obviously said yes with tears rolling down my eyes. If there wasn't a railing there, I probably would have fell over it. We didn't have anyone around and it was romantic as can be. I can't wait to be married to him. I never expected to ever be engaged as I have always had a low self esteem about myself. I have come to realize that there is someone out there for everyone. 

    I wanted to share my story, just because. Thank you for reading. The pics below are of my ring and a picture of us!



  • edited January 2013
    Joey and I started dating 7 years ago and have been best friends since. We are blessed with family and friends who have supported us through the years. We started dating young (18) and used the years together to really get to know one another.

    It was 7:30am on a crisp, snowy Monday. Joey went out to shovel while I checked emails. After a while, I went out to join him. When I reached Joey (we have a long driveway!) he said "Brianna, come see what this deer left for us". I was confused, and a bit hesitant, thinking he would show me a dead animal or something. You know, boys being boys.

    I reluctantly followed him down our driveway and saw a huge section of our yard where he had shoveled out "Will you marry me?" in the snow. He got down on one knee and spoke the most beautiful words to me. I cried (of course) and said "Are you serious?" about 20 times. After kisses and hugs, and more tears, we were joined by our puppy and spent all day enjoying the excitement and jitters together.



     
    (7:30 am - immediately after Joey proposed)

     
    (The beautiful winter wonderland on the day we got engaged)


    (How we announced our engagement to our friends on Facebook)



    (Showing off the bling!)




    (the message in the snow - this was 4 days after our engagement, there was a warmer streak of weather which melted the banks, allowing the message to pop a lot more! Needless to say, I went out to read it every day until it snowed more and was covered up)
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