Engage Her: True Proposal Stories from the Bride’s Perspective

Marriage is a hot industry for tourism, home furnishings, and gift giving for just about every country on the planet. In the U.S. alone, an average of 2.4 couples tie the knot each year; that’s an average of over 44,000 weddings each weekend. Talk about a lot of white-laced cake and solemn “I do’s!”

But before any one of those weddings could take place, it's assured that there was a marriage proposal — and 99% of the time, the guy did the proposing. There are books and Web sites dedicated to helping guys find the perfect way to pop the question and, in fact, the average guy spends over $300 on the proposal alone. However, most deserving brides-to-be agree that the best proposal is thoughtful, unique, and certainly not cribbed from a book or a web site.

Kristin & Mark

Take the story of Mark’s proposal to Kristin (24), for example. Mark (25), a police officer in Northern Virginia, had been preparing to ask for Kristin’s hand for months.

They had discussed their intentions, and even went ring shopping just a month before Mark popped the question. “I knew the proposal was coming,” said Kristin, “but I didn’t know it was coming that night.”

Mark had chosen to take Kristin out to a fancy waterfront restaurant in Georgetown on the first warm night of the spring. After dinner, Mark led Kristin on a walk along the river. “We found a bench along the way and sat down,” Kristin recalled. “Then he pulled out the ring and asked me! It was so sweet. I woke up the next day and saw the ring on my finger and just started smiling.”

Kristin, a computer programmer, had been dating Mark since her sophomore year in college. When asked about what she looked forward to most about being married to Mark, Kristin said, “Just coming home to him. I’m so much looking forward to just being with him and sharing a home, a life and a family.”

Kate & Matt

Likewise, Kate (24), a registered nurse, agrees that the thing she looks forward to most about her upcoming marriage to Matt (27) is “being able to fall asleep and wake up next to her soul mate.”

Like Kristin, Kate also knew that the proposal was on its way when the couple went ring shopping months before. “I thought he was going to wait until Christmas,” said Kate. “But I knew he had the ring. I was eavesdropping on one of his phone conversations when he thought I wasn’t listening.”

What Kate didn’t know until later is that Matt’s first proposal to her was a joke. “I jokingly said I didn’t think he would ever propose to me,” said Kate. “Then he got down on one knee in front of me. I started getting butterflies in my stomach and got a bit teary. He reached under the couch, and pulled out a ring box and handed it to me. All he said was ‘Open it!’”

Thinking that this was the real proposal, Kate grew excited and was on the verge of tears. “Then I opened the box to find some old ring he’d had forever,” Kate said, realizing the joke. “He started laughing hysterically. He kept on laughing for most of the evening about it. I started getting more and more irritated.”

Kate later discovered that Matt had planned to propose under the Christmas lights of downtown Richmond. “We couldn’t find a parking space, so we went home,” Kate said. “I found out later that he had had the ring in his pocket, and planned to do it out there, but didn’t get the chance.”

When Matt finally did pop the question… for real… it was the following day over a candle-lit glass of wine. “He sat down next to me, apologized for his joke the previous day, and pulled out another ring box — this one much prettier,” Kate said. “While I couldn’t muster up any tears that day, it was still wonderful to have the honor of marrying him.”

Engaged By Change

In addition to being invited to call her future in-laws by their first names, Kate has noticed other changes in her daily life since becoming engaged. “At first, it was tough driving,” she said. “Every time the sun hit the ring, it sparkled so beautifully that it was hard to keep my eyes off of it.”

Both Kate and Kristin have late summer weddings planned, beating the 14-month average length of an engagement. The fast adjustment into permanent coupledom has its challenges as well as its excitements. “I feel more responsible and more adult now, planning a wedding,” Kristin said. “We’re looking for a house to purchase, and I’m thinking a lot more about not just my future, but our future together.”

Kate added, “I’m looking forward to spending my days working on home improvement projects, grocery shopping, lounging around on the couch, and doing all of the mundane things that married couples do. I'm ready to be married!”