Best way to propose?

[Uilleann]

So, after some time now, I do believe I've found my (hopefully soon to be) Mrs. Right! It's been a long hard slog...but after years and years of searching (and finding just about every possible Mrs. WRONG in the state I do believe) I'm ready to pop *the* question!

We're taking a trip back East in November to be with family for Thanksgiving, and I was wanting to do it then. There's a great little lighthouse in northern Maryland at Concord Point. Our family has a bit of a history with it's upkeep and continued operation so that's a special place to me. It's absolutely beautiful there as well so I thought that the location would be a really great place to do it.







One thought was to get the key to the place and take the ring to the top, and place it up near the light itself. Then to take her up at night...and propose there - just the two of us.

But, I wanted to get some other thoughts as well. Any of you have some amazing proposal stories you'd like to share? Any advice? Anything I need to watch out for?? :D

Looking forward to your collective wisdom!

All the best...as ALWAYS!

Brian~

[CME4SPECS]

Whatever you do...don't do it on that dock!

[Diane]

I wouldn't change anything. You seem like a true romantic. No plastered out over a football or baseball TV...just the two of you. The area looks romantic....how could she NOT accept.

All the best to you...:D

Diane

[Pete Hanlin]

Lighthouse looks like an awesome choice! Way to go...

Just make sure you put the ring on the right (erm, which is her left) hand!

I proposed to Mrs. Hanlin in a tiny chapel at college and had her close her eyes so I could "give her something." Before I even had the chance to pop the question, she said "That's the wrong hand!"

Fortunately, the next thing she said was, "Well, of course!"

THE RING GOES ON THE LEFT HAND! (Repeat as necessary.)

[Uilleann]

LOL! I do tend to like the old school romantic stuff. :) And yeah Pete - I have been well instructed on the proper hand. hehe Although...in the heat of the moment, I could see how one might goof. :shiner:

Thanks guys!

Bri~

[GOS_Queen]

Congrats, Brian :cheers:

You could always tell her that your love will be the beacon that will guide you thru your life together :p

[Pete Hanlin]

Okay, since we're on the topic- the most romantic thing I've ever done (according to my wife) was the RETURN of her engagement ring after she lost it. We used to walk across campus arm in arm and she would take her foot and use it to whop me on the butt while we walked. Anyway, I went to get her back one time, and she flung her arm- causing her ring (which was a size too large- but it was still new and she didn't want to send it to be resized) to fly off.

Anyway, she spent hours going through the bushes looking for it- to no avail. So, next morning I went back to the spot and flung my arm in the same direction (letting a penny fly). Wouldn't you know it, the penny flew into the TOP of the bush- and there was the ring perched within a foot of where it went in (on a branch).

Okay, so just to have fun, I went to the grocery store and purchased a rose that was still unbloomed. I teased open the petals, put the ring inside, and gave her the rose for her dorm room (expressing how sorry I was she lost the ring, but reminding her that I did suggest she have it resized :^). Anyway, in a couple days when the rose opened, she was quite ecstatic.

And there you have it- its been all down hill on the romantic front since that point! :)

So, point number 2- MAKE SURE THE RING IS THE RIGHT SIZE!

[CuriousCat]

I don't recommend my husbands "well, how about it?", though we will have made it to 30 years on the next Valentine's Day.

However, my son-in-law really set the bar pretty high.

He and Beth loved to sit and talk at the Jefferson Memorial in DC when they were visiting, so...

Beth was taken by limo(thinking she was going out on the town with her girlfriends) to the Jefferson Memorial on a June evening (sun still up). As she walked up to the Memorial, she was met by 12 random kids who each gave her a single white rose bearing a tag with the name of a place that she and Chris had visited. Two more kids gave her a Vermont Teddy Bear Bride and Groom and a monogramed bracelet. Chris met her on the far side of the Memorial with 12 red roses each with a blank tag. He told her that the white roses were all the places where he had fallen in love with her and the red roses with the blank tags were all the places he would fall in love with her again.

She said yes...and they've been gloriously happy for almost 3 years.

[Pete Hanlin]

Okay, that's just unfair! I mean- how are men the world over supposed to come up to THAT kind of standard?!?

That's really hitting it out of the park!

[For-Life]

Go to a sports game and get those guys who put the team letters on their stomachs to instead write "will you marry me _______"

[Uilleann]

I think the guys lined up with roses thing is a bit over the top for the two of us - but the naked football guys....hmmmm...hehehe

I'm hoping simple, quiet, and relatively straight forward may be the best route to take...

Since most of my family will be in town for the holiday, I was thinking I might have them all sneak out and stand by the door when we come down to celebrate her saying yes (or so I hope!) :cheers:

I think there's little chance for the opposite response at this point, but one never knows for sure. :)

[CuriousCat]

I'd like to say that it was because white roses are Beth's favorite rose, but in reality, red + white = Nebraska football. The wedding was red and white, her dress was red and white, the groom's cake was a football field...there's more but it starts to sound pretty weird.

[Pete Hanlin]

Au contraire! NOW its all making sense! After all- everyone knows (except my wife for some reason :^) that all things in life can be expressed through FOOTBALL!

[CuriousCat]

But Pete, EVERYTHING was Nebraska football! We didn't have numbered tables at the reception dinner, we had tables identified by plays except for the parents. We sat at the Heisman table. The bride and groom entered the reception to the Nebraska fight song. The groomsmen gave Chris the autographed game ball. There was even some concern that the whole wedding might be delayed if Nebraska was in a bowl game, or that we might have to bring in big screens so not a play would be missed.

I drank a lot of Scotch.

[GAgal]

You guys are sooooo romantic!!!! My husband won the prize for worst proposal on a cruise we were on (at least I got a bottle of champagne out of it) I was pregnant with our fourth child, we were going to VEW and my soon to be husband said....You know honey, since we've been together so long, I guess I should make an honest woman out of you and marry you in Vegas? Whatcha think? :hammer:Let's just say, to know him is to love him :D We did have a lot of fun though!

Brian,

I LOVE THE LIGHTHOUSE!!! Perfect Perfect Perfect! Congratulations

[Pete Hanlin]

Well done, then! The day my brother got married, Penn State played Ohio State. My contrarian brother is a Pitt fan, so he "didn't care"- but let's just say there was a constant stream of PSU fans coming in and out of the banquet hall (um, there might have been a TV set up outside the room :^). Of course, PSU won- and they're still married (coincidence, I think not).

One of my coworkers is a Missouri grad- so she'll be watching this Thursday night when Nebraska plays Mizzou- good luck!

[braheem24]

Hopefully your friends will give you better advice than mine...


"Hey baby, I have something hard in my pants for you." (as you take out the diamond)


Congratulations bro.

[opticianbart]

Au contraire! NOW its all making sense! After all- everyone knows (except my wife for some reason :^) that all things in life can be expressed through FOOTBALL!

only if by football you mean, real football - of the kind played around the world!

[Jacqui]

I don't care how or where you do it!!!! But you should have chocolate in one hand, roses in the other and a diamond in your pocket.

[Uilleann]

Chocolate won't be needed as neither of us are sweet-o-holics as such. :) A rose might be nice, but we've got to climb some pretty steep stairs (in the dark, or nearly so) and a ladder at the end. Perhaps I could do the whole rose in the teeth thing...but I'm not so sure. ;)

I can tell you there will be no association with American football of any kind - as we all know the only REAL footballers are the likes of Arsenal, Man. U., etc. :shiner:

I've been pondering the use of some sort of cheesy "light" inspired line when I give the ring, but I also want it to be sincere and not over-the-top silly. If any of you know me...that's a feat in and of itself! hehe So I'm gonna give that some more thought at any rate. As an interesting anecdote, when we met, I told her I was looking for "my luminous girl" as I heard the term in a song. She has since gotten personalized plates for her car: LUMNOUS So there's already something of a light inspired theme running between us. :)

The ring was purchased last night, (and yes, we looked together and she chose her style she loved already about a month back) so that much is done. Now just have to be patient enough to wait for Thanksgiving to arrive!

B~

[DrJ2]

The, "How bout we get married?" Then pitch the ring to her without getting out of the recliner worked for me.

But then again, not everyone can be as romantic as me......

[braheem24]

That's some southern charm at work right thur!

[IC-UC]

The, "How bout we get married?" Then pitch the ring to her without getting out of the recliner worked for me.

But then again, not everyone can be as romantic as me......

Think again...........you took the ring to the recliner? Leave it on the counter, saves carrying the extra weight around!!:D

[Pete Hanlin]

I can tell you there will be no association with American football of any kind - as we all know the only REAL footballers are the likes of Arsenal, Man. U., etc.
Oh, you mean soccer. Football is played with a pointy ball, soccer is played with a round one. Soccer is great- I played from the time I was 6 years old to halfway through college as a mid-fielder... come to think of it, I quit playing when I got MARRIED!

You know, you could just get to the top of the lighthouse and say, "Isn't this nice?" "Why yes, dear, it is" (I imagine she might say.) "Well, there isn't anyone I'd rather spend the rest of my nice moments with than you- so, if you feel the same way I'd propose we get married." (and, as you say, Bob's your uncle- cue the waterworks, and enjoy a nice long hug :^).

[Uilleann]

Ah Pete,

We all well know that the ONLY REAL "football" is of the round ball variety. ;) And that what....90% of the world knows that too? hehehe

Actually, I was at the Real Salt Lake stadium opener last year, and a guy proposed that evening on the middle of the pitch in front of 20,000-something of his closest friends. Of course...she HAD to say yes, and did so.

There was much rejoicing. ;)

(Sadly, Real went on to loose the match. Damnit.)