He told me he bought me something from Victoria's Secret and that he wanted me to try it on for him. We went out to the car to get the box. It was a huge box too, and wrapped so pretty. We sat down on my porch step and I opened the box. All there was was tissue paper inside then this big white jewelry box. I figured it was just earrings or something. I opened it up and then there was this expensive looking brown velvet box. I opened it up and there was my ring shining in the dark.
A. D., Steubenville, Ohio
He told me when we first met that he wanted to get married someday and I left it alone for a long time. Then one day, my friend was talking about renewing her vows, and I mentioned it to him. He said that if I wanted to, we could get married. So, I asked him if we could do it on the fifth anniversary of the day we met, which was August 21,1995. He said to look at the calendar to see what day that was and then we planned on the 19th, because it in on a Saturday. He wants his parents to come out from New York and his sisters from other states to come out and watch as we are united.
T. F., Poway, California
He took me to the house that we were in the process of building and it was dark out. The box lit up when you opened it, so with my back to him, he opened it, causing me to turn around, and then got on one knee and proposed.
K. W., Rosemont, Illinois
I had an acquaintance (whom Pam did not know) show up ahead of us to play Putt Putt, and then on the 18th hole, the ring was in the hole waiting for her. I had to intentionally 5-putt to make sure Pam got there first. We had pictures taken in action by the friends, and she was very surprised.
P. G., Mason, Ohio
I was visiting John in the US (I'm in Australia, and we're both Aussies - he works in the SFO area). It was last month, Tuesday August 3rd. John and I had been in New York for a long weekend (Friday through to Tuesday).
On the Tuesday morning, we decided to go to the top of the Empire State Building (John wanted to the previous afternoon, but after a day of shopping by myself. Lugging around a few yards of linen I found, there was no way I was going all the way back down to the Empire State Building!). When we got to the top, John held on to both of my hands, and said "I know I've said this before, but I'm serious this time - will you marry me?". And I said yes.
I'd always wanted to tease him and say something like "Well.... let me see ...." but I didn't. He had been busting to buy me a ring for the week and a bit I had been in the US, and we even looked at some lovely ones in Tiffany's on 5th Ave ... but after the proposal, I thought that it would be silly to have a 'practice' ring, and we might as well just get the real thing.
Which I have done - well, I've organized a jeweler, and we've bought a stone, but I'll wait 'til John's next in Oz to get the ring made - I want him to give it to me, not have me show him what he's given me!!
K. T., Australia
In 1995, I traveled through Europe (before I met my husband). I bought a bottle of wine at a winery in Bordeaux, France. It was to be opened on the day I became engaged. I was very single at the time, and knew the bottle would remain sealed for a while.
I met Doug about a month after I returned to San Diego. He knew about the bottle, but I kept it hidden in my closet. We were dating for about 3 years when he called me to say he was going to make me dinner that night. I came home and we started to eat. After dinner, I suggested some wine. He pointed to a paper bag holding some wine from Trader Joe's, I assumed. As I lifted the bottle from the bag, I could see it was the bottle from France. I turned to look at him — he was down on one knee, asking me to marry him. He caught me by surprise, but of course I said yes! And we were married on Aug. 7, 1999.
W. S., San Diego, California
It was Mother's Day and I was pregnant with our son. I wasn't feeling the greatest (must have been a pregnant thang). [My fiancé] came home from work and while I was lying in bed telling him how bad I was feeling.
He said "I hope you can feel better for a couple of minutes so you can slip this on your finger." Right then he pulled a box out of his pocket and then got down on the side of the bed and asked me to marry him.
I was so overwhelmed with tears that I couldn't even see the ring! And of course I said yes!! In October we had a healthy baby boy named Ryann!
It's just too bad that our wedding might be put off because of financial difficulty. But, the way I look at it with every storm follows a rainbow.
E. B., Jacksonville, North Carolina
It was the last day of school, a teacher workday...no kids! So, it was already a good day. On the last day of school, the teachers have to box up all their materials that cannot be stored in cabinets to take home over the summer. This was my first year at Cy-Fair, so all this was new. The veteran teachers had already prepared me, and warned me to wear something I didn't mind getting dusty and dirty. About 10:00, a former employee (who now owns a small boutique) came to visit and just happened to bring some clearance items with her. Okay, no kids, last day of school and shopping! It was now a great day, and I was thinking how wonderful it was that God placed me on this particular campus filled with such a supportive, fun, and energetic staff of friends and co-workers.
Janet, a very dear friend and co-worker, had given me plenty of warning about the PTO lunch. She said it would be a madhouse, and we had to try to get to the cafeteria first, or we'd be stuck at the back of the line, with not much left from which to choose. Well, that was enough for me! When they announced lunch, I did the 100-yard dash to her room, yanked her from her work and proceeded to the grub-line. We weren't first, but we were awfully darn close. That's when I first noticed the video camera. I asked Janet why they would be filming us. Her answer was something like, "Maybe they're making a documentary?" "About teachers eating?" My best guess was that the administrative staff was going to put on a short song and dance number as they had on previous in-service days. So, we took a front seat next to the stage so that we could get a really good view. I then proceeded to eat, whole-heartedly, not thinking that the camera by the stage was turned "on". (All that heavy packing had made me hungry.) I should have bought a clue when I noticed Janet hadn't touched her food.
And then it happened. The most familiar voice came out of nowhere, yet was everywhere. The rest, they say, is history. It was definitely one of the most memorable and best days of my life. It was all so well done and documented. Gary should have won an award for being the most creative (along with several sneaky coworkers). Thank you Gary, for your love, your support, your wit, your talent, and for sharing the rest of your life with me. I am so fortunate and blessed to know you and love you.
S. G., Houston, Texas
