6.18.2008

How He Proposed

So last weekend was what I suppose is the "Official" proposal, or "How Nem Got Her Ring." The unofficial proposal was equally sweet and binding and kind of involved Gentleman Friend being just a tiny bit bossy and high-handed. It was hot, believe me.

And even though we were engaged from that point, GF still wanted to be able to do something special. And like I'm going to turn down special. I figured it was coming when he called and told me that my ring wasn't going to be ready for the weekend. Because that's the lie boys always tell. I didn't spend all those years listening to "How He Proposed" stories without learning a little something about subterfuge.

So the following Friday after The Lie Men Tell went like this:

7:45am Left my house and found a Toblerone bar on the hood of my car.

10:00am The library opened. Two adorable moppets walked up to my desk carrying a small basket containing double-cream French brie, Wensleydale, and crackers.

11:00am A woman walked up to the front desk and handed me a vase of flowers.

12:00pm A man walked up to my desk and handed me Cadbury drinking chocolate and sticky toffee pudding. I started to think that maybe a pattern was forming here.

1:00pm A woman handed me a massive basket filled with English chocolates and biscuits, including a Cadbury Whole Nut bar the size of a laptop. I passed out and had to be revived. The rest of the library staff started watching the clock with me.

2:00pm I was at a friend's house eating lunch when the doorbell rang. His sister's boyfriend handed me a bag of Lion House rolls and a jar of jam. I started worrying that maybe I'd been implanted with a transmitter.

3:00pm Cute little cousin handed me a carton of Ben & Jerry's peanut butter & chocolate ice cream, which is what GF left on my desk one day last fall when I was having a horrible, awful, no good, very bad day. Which prompted Cicada to curse my name for being a blind, blind idiot.

4:00pm GF's sister brought me my secret white-trash pleasure, even bags of Cheetos and Fritos.

5:00om GF's sweet little nephew and cousin turn up with a bag from London Market containing a bottle of Schloer and a 4-pack of IZZE Clementine sparkling juice.

6:00pm GF himself turned up to take me to dinner. Said we needed to stop by his parent's house and grab something.

Turned up at house to find rose petals scattered on the front porch. Opened the door to find trail of petals leading to his bedroom--wait, sorry, wrong story--to the back patio, where a table was set up with red roses and candles and all my favorite songs playing on his iPod. So that's where we had dinner. The salad course was a Cafe Rio salad, the main course was sushi (brought over by one of the neighbors). During the main course he lied again about the ring not being ready. The desserts were puffed pastries in the shape of swans, filled with custard, cream, and strawberries, from the amazing Sweetly Divine bakery (also delivered by the neighbors).

My ring was in the dessert box. Which I think is infinitely preferable to being in the dessert, because once I hit custard I don't stop. And that could have been awkward.



And of course I was so impressed by the ring (and the box, oh my gosh a box with a light in it!!!) that I started chattering away about that before realizing that GF was still kneeling in front of me with the patient, eyebrows-raised, whenever-you're-finished look he has. So I shut up. And he asked me to marry him, and I said yes. And then I tore into my puff pastry swans.


Here's how it looks on my finger. Go ahead and make cracks about my stubby pinky. Go ahead, because I don't even care.

33 comments:

Hannah said... [reply]

oh! I love it! It is so elegant!

Anonymous said... [reply]

Beautiful, but can you please tell us lurkers the actual story of how you both met? Congrats!

Noelle said... [reply]

Very adorable story. I love that not only did he surprise you on the hour but with so many British goodies! I have to say that I relate to the "light in the box" excitement because that was the first thing that came from my mouth when my husband proposed to me :)

nyc_ransoms said... [reply]

good job GF! That was an excellent proposal. Congratulations to you both I am so happy for you!

Celeste

Liz Johnson said... [reply]

I love it! My ring is very similar and I've never regretted not getting a solitaire style, despite people always asking me if I do.

Debs said... [reply]

Oh wonderful wonderful! I loved hearing the proposal story :-) And your ring is gorgeous x

Christian said... [reply]

Congratulations, again. :)

And I love the way you tell a story. The Lie Men Tell, indeed.

jeri said... [reply]

Your ring suits you so well and you are The Luckiest. Congrats!

Carina said... [reply]

I like that once you hit custard, you don't stop.


As it should be.

Anonymous said... [reply]

Holy cow that is a lot of food for a girl to finish!! Wow, that is sooo cute! *squee*
Love the bit about his "whenever-you're-finished" look. I think I'd probably need something like that too. I'd probably get verbal diarrhea because of my freaking-outness.
Chantel

April said... [reply]

Holy matrimony! Thanks for ruining the proposal daydreams for the rest of us single girls, Nem! How are our future boys supposed to live up to what we've just read?

Oh, to be delivered chocolates every hour. GF is truly a gift from God.

The ring is beautiful, too! :)

abby said... [reply]

From this post I had two thoughts: those poor pastry swans and what a beautiful ring (it's the type of ring I want because I'm anti solitaire). Apparently GF knows the way to your heart is through your stomach. Have you finished all that chocolate yet?

Anonymous said... [reply]

So glad to finally hear how it all went down. I think I like this GF of yours, especially since he knows you so well and treats you wonderfully. Congrats to both of you! I can't wait to meet him.

Desmama said... [reply]

I never told you what a beautiful setting that is for a ring. And what a fun story! I love it. Can't wait to get back and see you.

Nemesis said... [reply]

Aw, thanks Hannah! I'll have to tell the Ring Story in another blog post.

Anon, it's coming, no worries. And thank you!

Noelle--I know, right? That box is the coolest.

Celeste, thank you! I'd love to send you an announcement if you'll email me your address. miss.nem at gmail.com.

Liz, yeah. I've never really hankered for a solitaire either.

Debs, thank you!

Edgy, I'm glad I haven't lost my abilities yet . . .

Jeri, I know. I really am The Luckiest. Thank you. :-)

Azucar, we need to get together. We're probably secret soul mates.

Chantel, yeah. He really was so sweet. Said it was typical that he'd have to wait for me to finish talking . . . plus like he could even blame me. He was totally excited about the box-with-light too.

April, you ain't kidding. Best Friday EVER. I think it helped that he had three years worth of blog to read wherein I discuss all my favorite things. Tricky man, that one.

Abby, I haven't come close. I'm doing my best to share with others, even though it's hard. The British lady at the London Market was stunned by how much he bought. She basically said that if any girl didn't give it up for that then she just doesn't know what. And yeah. Tasty, tasty swans . . .

Jaime, thanks! I'm hoping we can meet up soon.

Desmama, seriously! Please come home and play with me!

Lady Steed said... [reply]

I think that's one of the best 'Elaborate Presentation of the Ring Cermony' ever. I am very impressed with GF. It's awesome how he worked in so very very many delicious British foods. Does that kind of make up for him not being British?

I have often wondered how many girls have accidentally swallowed their engagement rings. I am glad GF thought it through.

A light in the box! Hot Damn! That's amazing!

Oh, pretty ring too.

You know how I feel about diamonds, but those are from your grandmother's ring right? So that's OK. It's lovely.

Anonymous said... [reply]

is against the rules for mormon boys to just propose? (maybe that is the first, sweet, non-vamped proposal?). I can't help but think a mere year ago if you had happened across this post (on some unknown, unsuspecting mormon girl's blog) you would have attacked with pleasure....

regardless, I am so glad you found someone who gets how cool you are I will gladly forgive the sudden saccharine overdose.

Nemesis said... [reply]

No worries, Lady Steed. No diamonds were mined during the making of this ring. ;-) Will be talking more about that later.

Anon, you of course have an excellent point, and thanks for forgiving the saccharine OD. :-)

Because yeah, I didn't need an elaborate proposal. To me the "real" one was when we decided we were getting married and started making plans. But this was also about GF and what he wanted to do. And it was amazing to see how much thought and planning and love had gone into this, and how excited people were to help out with it.

Plus he knew me well enough to hit the right balance between public (gifts) and private (everything else), because so help me I did NOT want anyone gawking at me. And he didn't send me on a demonic scavenger hunt. Or set my house on fire. Or arrange to have me arrested so that I could be so relieved when it turned out to be a joke. None of those things would have gone over well.

Snow Whiteley said... [reply]

So beautiful! Congratulations! Love the story. Love the ring.

Jeff said... [reply]

Hey, I sent your future sister in-law on a demonic scavenger hunt!! C'mon. Haha!

Nemesis said... [reply]

Jeff, you really did??? Oh, future b-in-law, so wrong . . .

Debbie Barr said... [reply]

Oh my heavens, I couldn't stop smiling through the whole story! That was so cute! And sweet! I feel all warm and fuzzy inside... and the ring is gorgeous! Very chic and elegant. :)

Anonymous said... [reply]

Very happy for you! I found your blog by accident twice while google-ing various things, and thought it was some what odd, as I am so much like you, so it must be fated. So now I often read your blog, and enjoy it muchly.

emandtrev said... [reply]

Love, love the story and GF's creativity! My favorite line of the whole story? "It was hot, believe me."

Congrats again! Gorgeous ring, too.

Lindsay said... [reply]

I love it when the menfolk go to great lengths to thoroughly and thoughtfully plan things out. GF sounds like he's a keeper as far as that's concerned. Go you! Oh, and lovely ring! It totally hides the stubby pinky. ;)

Science Teacher Mommy said... [reply]

Good things DO come to those who wait. (Even if it feels like you wait and wait and wait.) I love the I-can't-keep-a-secret bit; I think every gal knows when it is coming. And how wonderful to have a proposal that matches how well he knows you. I'm sure you two are going to be awesomely happy.

Is he a valley boy? Are you moving?

Rynell said... [reply]

I too had two proposals (same guy) because my ring was being made to specification. That first one was so heartfelt and simple and yet I also just loved the whole planned out thing--as you did too. (And very glad he knows you so well.)

Anonymous said... [reply]

I don't think it's overly saccharine at all. I think his proposal just shows how much he loves you and wants to make you feel special. The fact that he researched all of your favorite things is so sweet. Of course it shows he is a romantic too. I married a romantic kinda guy and believe me, there is nothing wrong with that! Valentines Day at our house is always a blast! Congrats on the engagement! I'm so happy for you two!

blackjazz said... [reply]

I'm really happy for you. Now that you're engaged and busily planning, I'll understand if you want to cancel our "not-a-date" a few weeks before your wedding. Let me know.

BTW - is there anything from here that you need over there?

Carly said... [reply]

Wow! He made that so special, it sounds like he really knows you well! And apprently chocolate, brie and British goodies are a great way to butter you up! The ring is beautiful and I have to agree, how cool is a box with a light in it! I've never seen that before.

Anonymous said... [reply]

Beautiful. And yeah, ring boxes can be as cool as the rings themselves.

Audra said... [reply]

Was "The Luckiest" a Ben Folds reference? If it was, I am impressed with your music taste. Ben Folds is my forbidden music passion (he says a lot of not-to-be-listened-to-by-a-former-Young-Womens-President in some of his songs, of which I ignore the spirit and listen to it anyway... haha). Anyway, if it was not a Ben Folds reference and I rattled on for nothing, you MUST listen to Ben Folds "The Luckiest". A wonderfully sappy well-written true love song. If it had been released before my Freshman year in college you probably would have heard it 100 times and known it by heart... like all my Toad songs I subjected you to, which I now offer a belated apology for being so weird once upon a timel... I digress... but seriously, you will like that song and it is on my playlist at the bottom of the blog if you scroll though and find it... there I go again... I start talking about music and can't shut up!

I LOVE THE PROPOSAL... but all that food and sweets is really going to hinder the pre-wedding diet... haha!

I had an over-the-phone proposal that concluded in an explination of why his MOM thought Christmas would be a good time for us to get married and ending in, "So what do you think?"

Congrats on a uber romantic guy! (And please ignore my ignorant spelling errors... you used to edit my papers, so you should already know my issues... I almost spelled "sweets" "suites")

Oh, and in the blog world what title do you graduate to once you are married? He is now GF, what will he be after the big day?

Lippy said... [reply]

I am SO happy for you. The ring's a natural fit, stubby pinky and all.

Congrats. So glad I stopped by today!

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