Experiences

Things Don't Always Work Out As Planned
Couple: Lina and Carlos
Date Engaged: January, 2005

Every girl usually pictures how she would like to get engaged, or how it would be when her boyfriend asks "the" question. And of course, most of us want it to be something that has been planned out and probably in a beautiful romantic setting. Let's be honest, we want that moment to be perfect. Well, for me, things didn't quite go as originally planned.

Let me just inform you that my boyfriend and I had been together for 10 years before he proposed to me. It was precisely on our 10th year anniversary; in January of 2005 that he decided it was time. I must say that my boyfriend had all the intentions of making our engagement night a perfectly planned out moment. He would surprise me with a private dinner cruise across New York City, a private chef and even violinists to play romantic music for us, where he would then propose. He planned on making it a memorable night.

But when the day finally came, so did the snow! We had one of the biggest snowstorms ever and the dinner cruise company informed him that they would have to cancel. I only knew that we had plans to have dinner in the city, but because it was so bad outside, I suggested we stay local. Of course, there was hardly anything opened, but we ended up having dinner in a nice small restaurant nearby.

After dinner, he decided to drive around in the horrible weather. I had no idea, that he had other plans, so I just kept insisting on going home. He then pulled over by the water, where the ground was covered in snow, and suggested we make snow angels. I thought he was out of his mind, and agreed to get out the car but that I would only watch him. After just a few minutes I was freezing and told him I was getting back in the car. As I started to walk away, he grabbed my hand and got down on his knee, which didn't last that long because he then started to freeze! So he stood up instead and proposed to me.

Nothing about that night may have worked out as he planned, but it was actually better. Because at that moment, with the ground all covered in white, with no one around and everything so still and silent, it felt as if it was just the two of us alone in the world. It was beautiful. It was memorable. It was perfect.

We Joined in Harmony
Couple: Robin and Jamie
Date Engaged: July, 2007

Not everyone has known their partner for a lifetime before they commit to one another. Actually, not everyone always meets their partner in person before they start to become interested. I’m a prime example, I met my husband on eHarmony.com and we are still going strong.

I joined the website just to give it a try but not really expecting anything out of it and I definitely didn’t think I would actually find my husband on it. I had already decided I was going to unsubscribe when I received a message from one guy who caught my eye. So we began to get to know each other and became truly interested in one another, so we decided to date.

After dating over a year, in the summer of 2007, my husband (boyfriend at the time) and I along with his best friend and his girlfriend took a weekend trip to the shore. While dining at one of our favorite restaurants, he turned to me and said, “I think there’s something in my water.” When I took a look at his water I saw my mother’s engagement ring! I asked him why was my mother’s engagement ring in his water and he then asked me “Will you marry me?” I was surprised but of course I said yes. So he then said to me that I could go ahead and design my own engagement ring the way that I’ve always wanted because that would be the ring that I’ll be wearing for the rest of my life.

I was able to uniquely design and customize my own engagement ring. I had a say in every aspect of the ring, including the diamonds, the setting, the metal and all the other factors that went into creating the piece. In the end, the final product was what I’ve always envisioned.

So when my ring was finally complete, he took the ring and got on his knees and said “Will you be my wife? You are the only woman that I’ll ever marry, you are the love of my life.”

Just a few months later we had an intimate wedding surrounded by the people we love. I wore the ring that I’ve always wanted and married the man that I’ve always dreamt of.