| Proposals |
 One of the guys in my department is getting married next weekend. In fact, he's getting married on the same day that's Dan's and my fifth wedding anniversary. I'm thinking that's a very good sign for the two of them.
To celebrate, the entire Marketing department went to lunch to present a wedding gift and to share in his happiness. I'm not sure how it happened, but it became mandatory that the married people at the table share their wedding proposal stories.
First, the groom-to-be shared his. It was a lovely tale of a trip to a remote beach. He had it all planned only after he had gotten permission from his girlfriend's father. I found it really touching that my coworker did that. It's just so old-fashioned and full of good manners.
He had the ring to present to her, and he had his camera. He took photos on the sly when his girlfriend wasn't looking, to record the events of the day in order to put them in an album later that they could both reminisce over. He waited until the sun went down and he had the backdrop of a beautiful sunset under which to propose. He asked the question on one knee. She said "yes," and she cried.
Everyone around the lunch table was impressed. Then another coworker shared his tale:
His girlfriend's parents were spending the holidays in England with him and their daughter. He knew it would be a good opportunity to get her father's permission, but he dreaded it because another guy had asked permission to marry her sister, and Dad had refused. What if he was also refused? This fear kept him from speaking to his future father-in-law about his intent, for three weeks. Finally, it was down to the last week of their visit, and he knew he had to ask now, or who knew when the next opportunity would arise?
The two men eventually took a walk in the park in the pouring rain, where the dad gave his blessing. My other workmate says the rest of the conversation is a total blur. Several days later, he took his girlfriend to a restaurant, where he proposed. She cried.
Everyone at the lunch table oo-ed and aahh-ed over these shows of gallantry. There aren't too many men that go to the trouble of asking the woman's father's permission to marry their daughter. It's amusing that even in this post women's Lib era, I know several women who have insisted that that's the way they wanted it done.
And then I told them about my proposal.
It happened online when Dan and I were chatting. I was planning my trip over to Australia to visit. We'd been chatting online and over the phone for three years. It was time to meet and see if we actually hit it off as well in person as we did online.
We speculated about what would happen:
"What if we meet and we really hit it off?" I asked.
"Maybe you won't want to go back," he said.
"I know - that's what worries me."
"Well, maybe you won't have to go back," he said.
"I mean, what if things really work out? We'll have to make some decisions," I said.
"Yes," was all he said.
"Do you know what you're saying?" I asked.
"Yes," was all he replied.
"You'll be stuck with me," I insisted.
"Yes," he replied.
We both had our web cams on and I could see that Dan was grinning from ear to ear - not a difficult thing for him to achieve.
There was no bended knee. No crying. No beautiful sunsets, nor fathers to get permission from, although, had my father been alive, he would have given Dan his blessing, I'm sure - along with a warning that he was getting a very focused (some would say "stubborn") woman.
Dan officially proposed during my first day in Australia, with a blustering wind blowing dirt in our hair, on the top of a hill at Mount Annan Botannical Gardens. I didn't cry. But it was finally my turn to say "Yes." |
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| 6 Comments: |
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And I'm so happy you said yes, I love you guys :)
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Mabs - when are you coming up to Sydney again?? (Either that, or I have to convince Dan we need to take a trip to Tas.)
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I'll be up around the 9th of March although given current events I'm trying to get up sooner.
I need a break!
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Be sure to keep us posted! We'll cheer you up.
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Would you please post those wedding photos of the two of you? I haven't seen them in AAAAGES!
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I'll have to get a few scanned. There are some goodies in there. :-)
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Name: Melanie O.
Home: Durham, North Carolina, United States
About Me: Female, American health and beauty-conscious professional who has rekindled a childhood love of dolls.
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posted by Melanie O. at 
And I'm so happy you said yes, I love you guys :)