My fiance and I were backpacking across Europe. Our one year anniversary was to be when we were in Vienna, Austria.
One of the reasons for going to Vienna was the Belvedere Museum. It holds the world's largest collection of my fiance's favorite painter, Gustav Klimt. In fact, the centerpiece of the collection is her favorite painting, "The Kiss" by Klimt.
So, I brought the ring to Europe with me and waited until she was in front of "The Kiss." I stood behind her as she gazed in wonder at the picture. It was then that I whispered in her ear that I loved her and wanted to be with her always. I then held the velvet ring box between her eyes and the painting. She gasped and covered her mouth.
She wouldn't open it, so I opened it for her and asked her to be my wife. She said yes and jumped up and down several times.
Incidentally, I had been miserable leading up to this point because we locked our backpacks in luggage lockers when we came to a new city. I was panicked about the ring but couldn't say anything. Her response was always, "it's only clothes, what's the big deal?"
M. L., Morristown, New Jersey
It was our first year anniversary together and we were going out for dinner. I knew there was something up, but did not suspect this.
He planned to pick me up at 7:30, but was late. I was really upset and about 30 minutes later, he arrived in a limo. I cried it was so beautiful. I still no idea.
We went to a stunning restaurant that had a private section closed off just for us. There were my favourite rose petals all over the place. I still no idea. He was very nervous, but I just thought he planned to sing to me, which he did and so nice.
He ordered dinner for me and dessert. The dessert arrived in a treasure chest. After a while of nibbling I was told I must crack the chest open. WOW, the most beautiful ring in the middle of all the mousse.
He got down on his knee and, of course, I eventually said yes. After hugging and kissing and crying, he finally got the answer.
N. D., Johannesburg, South Africa
After six wonderful months of dating, my boyfriend and I went to the mall one day just to look at engagement rings. We shopped and we shopped and I fell in love with one ring. Without my knowing, he purchased it that night. BUT, he didn't give it to me until two years later.
Can you imagine keeping a two-year secret like that?
After we had been dating for two-and-a-half years, he took me out of town for dinner. We went to the mountains and ate at the same restaurant that we had gone to for our two-year anniversary. After we left the restaurant, we went riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway. He found this great place to pull over where you could overlook the mountains and, since it was nighttime, the lights and the scenery were a breathtaking sight.
It was really cold outside so he held me in his arms. After standing there for a few minutes, he began to tell me how much he loved me and how much I meant to him. He's such a romantic, so this is nothing new. Then, he got onto one knee and asked me to be his wife—BIG SHOCK—and pulled out the ring which I immediately recognized as the one that I picked out two years ago.
Of course, I said yes!
M. A., Hillsborough, North Carolina
I met my fiance in church about five years ago when he began going to my church. I had liked him but never had the nerve to go up and talk to him.
Unbeknownst to me, some friends of mine gave him my phone number and soon after we began dating.
We dated for about four years and decided that we were going to get married. In July, we planned that we were going to get married in December, but I still did not have a ring.
Then, on Sunday morning, July 22, 2007, during the service my pastor started talking about how he had been preaching at my church for about five years and had met a young man with whom he had built a great relationship. He started describing things about my fiance and then called him to come up on the stage. At this point I had no clue!
My fiance began talking about his past and his future and asked the preacher if he could bring someone up on stage with him for support not unlike when the preacher brings his wife up with him. He then asked for me to come up onto the stage. This is when I realized what is going on! He began to tell the congregation that five years ago God saved him and gave him a new life. He then said that God also brought him an angel (me) and now he wanted to make that angel his wife!
He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him in front of our congregation of 300 people!
I said YES!
T. C., Whitwell, Tennessee
My fiance and I met at my place of employment in October 2006 (I work for a bank and she brings in deposits for the company she works for). After asking her out multiple times, she finally said yes and it's been true love ever since.
We bought our first house in early March and I immediately started looking for the perfect ring. I finally decided to design the ring instead of picking one out. I asked her father for his permission to ask her to marry me and he told me that it was more than okay with him.
On Saint Patrick's Day 2007 I left work early so I could go home and make everything perfect. I bought candles, flowers, dinner, etc. I set the kitchen table up with the candles and lilies.
I had bought three different colored roses: A yellow rose, depicting the friendship that started when she walked in the bank, was set on the porch of our house; a pink rose, in appreciation and happiness that I have had for her since day one, was placed on the floor right inside the front door; and a red rose, for the love I will have for her forever, was set on the floor right before the kitchen.
When she came into the kitchen I had her favorite meal waiting for her on the table. We had dinner while talking about her day and her asking me why I had done all of this. I told her I did this because I'm so lucky to have her in my life and I appreciate everything she does. After our meal was finished, she said nothing could make this any better. I asked her if she was sure nothing could make it better and while she was saying no I pulled the ring out of my pocket and got down on one knee.
At first she thought I was joking—we had joked about it for about two months prior—and then realized I was serious and, of course, said I will.
Our wedding date is 10/18/08 and I can't wait! I have the most beautiful fiance in the world and I love her with all my heart.
By the way, a few minutes after I asked her to marry me she told me that the proposal did make the night better.
J. K., Millville, New Jersey
