My parents got engaged 34 years ago this week — yesterday, in fact, to be more precise. I was talking about it with my mom last night when I realized that I didn’t know very much of the story behind their E Day. So being the curious person that I am, I began to subtly interrogate her with questions.
Who proposed?
Where did the romantic moment take place?
Was a sparkler presented?
I was expecting an elaborately detailed and romantic proposal, complete with a string quartet. I’d always imagined my father having memorized his speech, with a copy of it in his shirt pocket in case he got nervous and forgot his lines. I pictured my mother sitting next to him after he proposed, looking down at her ring, and then both of them dreaming up plans for their perfect wedding.
Surprisingly, though, my mom told me the entire affair was actually pretty low-key. My father proposed to her in his parents’ house. He was 26, and my mom was 21. He didn’t have a ring at the time, so they went and picked one out together.
I’d always thought I’d wanted that fairytale, romantic proposal full of “I love yous” and “forevers” and “soul mate.” But maybe you can still have that even with a not-so-traditional proposal. My parents did, and they were the most in-love couple I’ve ever met. So maybe in the end, that whole grand, over-the-top proposal isn’t really all that important. It’s romantic, sure, but it’s what comes days, months and even years after saying “Yes” that matters the most.
So, friends, I’d love to know: Do you know your parents’ engagement story? Was it traditional or more unique? Does your mom still have her engagement ring (that’s one question I forgot to ask my mom!)? Are you currently engaged? Are you planning to pop the question soon? Do you think a beau is planning to pop the question to you soon? Let’s talk all things engagement, friends… xoxo
P.S. Four romantic engagement shoots.
Letters To My Future Husband: Letter #50
Have a relaxing long weekend
Girlie Blogger says
Awww. Heart-warming. Quiet proposals are the most romantic.
My parents' proposal was even more low key. My mother's mom (Granny) pretty much told my dad to marry my mom. He was 29 and she was 26. And I came the next year :O)
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Maggie says
you look so much like your dad.
xox
Jenny in Ohio says
my story is pretty low key too….my fiance proposed in a canoe! That was a little surprising, but it was wonderful and very "us". he picked out a beautiful ring himself. 🙂
Mägi says
My parents have a pretty dull story — but I still love it.
My dad had already been engaged some 3 times already when he met my mom.
It was in around 3 months (I think, at the most) when he started just asking her, "Hey, wanna get married?"
One day as he pulled away in his van and asked her out the window, she said yes.
They got married pretty soon after.
But they're still married today some 27 or so years later and totally, totally in love! So much in love, it's adorable!
Carrie says
awh, that's really cute. I actually don't know my parents' engagement story. Maybe I should ask my mom about it. For my engagement proposal in the future, it doesn't have to be grand and elaborate. But I would want it to be well thought out and for him to actually make an effort. That would be really cute.
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April says
my parents was low-key too. they were parked in his car when he pulled out the ring, but he was so nervous he spilled his drink on her! and she'd told him she wasn't ready but he still gave her the ring. it was about six months later after she'd moved a few states away that she realized she loved him and he moved to her because she realized she was in love with him. the rest is history 🙂
Teresa says
Times were different… even for the previous generation, I think.
Mr. Melissa Blake better dapper up and start working in his speech, the scenario plus the ridiculously big engagement ring that will make us all fall from our chairs – in the office, at home, in the train – when we log in and enter your blog and see the picture ;).
My parents had a similar proposal to your parents. I think the more important was the parents' go ahead so they could really start dreaming their HEA.
Mine – I married 23 years ago – was even more low key; I was standing beside my fiancé's car, saying goodbye (it takes times to say goodbye when you've been dating 3 months ;)) and he turned and said "I'd like to marry you before the year ends. What do you say?" and I said, obviously, YES YES YES.
Big family drama ensuite as everyone thought I was with a bun in the oven to be rushing the way we were; but we didn't mind and went on with the plans. Until today.
We welcomed our first child "only" 2 years after Wedding Day but I think some people were still doing the maths because until today they couldn't understand how we could've rushed the way we did.
I wish I had you back then. You would understand and enjoy my happiness. My engagement a simple pearl ring bought after the proposal.
Love,
Teresa
Melissa Blake says
Awww, it's so great to hear all these low-key stories. Those seem to be the ones from the heart. 🙂
Melissa Blake says
Thanks, Teresa! xoxo
Sini says
Long time ago I asked my mom about how my patents met, I was quite sad as the answer for the marriage was that she didn't want to get married but her father said she needs to marry. It wasnt arranged marriage or anything like that.. my parents were in love but were just forced to marry too early. I think my mom is little bit bitter because of that. I wish I have a different story to tell someday for my kids,if I get engaged 🙂
Stella says
Hm, let's see. My parents married 15 years ago. I hope this doesn't confuse any of you….so My mom had two friends, a boy and a girl. But the friends of my mom didn't know each other. So my mom decided to introduce her friend who was a boy to the her friend who was a girl.
My mom's friend that was a girl also decided to introduce her brother to my mom…guess what! My mom married her friend's (aka, my aunt) brother (aka, my dad) and my mom's friend that was a boy married my mom's friend that was a girl!
My dad engaged by giving my mom a mini "amazing race" around her house. At the end of the race, my mom had to look out my window. Outside, my dad was there with his brothers and his best friend, and they cam out of a van. When the van turned around, there was a big sign: "Will you marry me?" My dad's friend had a guitar, and they sung a song for my mom : )
Very romantic! Love this post, Melissa! It was so interesting to read : ) x, Stella
Drama Queen #1 says
My parents basically knew they were gonna get married when they had their first kiss- best first kiss story ever.
My dad was dropping my mom off from a date, and he started laughing to himself. My mom asked him what was so funny, and he kept shrugging it off. Finally, he said "this is just like The Sound Of Music, because I'm going to kiss you…" (insert kiss here) "…and now I'm going to run away!"
After that, they simply knew! I love that story. :^)
-DQ#1
Jessi Haish says
I love when you share these sort of stories 🙂 so thank you!!
illuminatethesky says
Well the story of my parents' engagement is pretty hazy (I don't remember it well) but I do remember one story my ma told me. It was when they're still friends, and they were having lunch together. My ma is pretty clumsy herself and she was like struggling to open the ketchup bottle .. and KABLAM, it was dripping all over her shirt. My dad laughed, he always likes a good joke and was immensely tickled. In the end they were all laughing, and yeahh…I hope I could have someone to share the laughter (and tears), accept me for who I am, despite the clumsiness.. 🙂
Sweet Posy Dreams says
My parents have a very romantic story. They met in Paris as a kind of blind date. My dad was in the army and my mom in the navy. Someone was having a party and asked my dad to come because he was inviting a girl (my mom) who didn't like Frenchmen. They hit it off, went for a walk along the Seine, and he asked her to marry him on the night they met. They got married in London three months later and are still married 56 years later.
Bee says
I didn't learn the engagement story until my father's funeral. I knew they met because she was subletting a room in his apartment in college, and that there was a pre-engagment ring that he gave her (that I got on my 16th birthday) while they slowly paid off a ring at a department store where my mother would "visit" it weekly. But here's the whole story: My mom was subletting for only a few months, as she was moving two states away to manage her own aerobics studio. When it came time for her to leave, my dad was too smitten and decided to propose. He takes her to this ski lift that was giving rides so people could see the New England foliage, unaware of her crippling fear of heights. His best friend was in the lift in front, camera at the ready. As soon as the thing lifts off though, my mom's head is in my dad's lap and she refuses to open her eyes. He keeps telling her to look up, she won't, and he says "Liz, I want to ask you to marry me…" and she goes "What? Is this a joke?" and doesn't believe him. When they get off at the top, his friend rushes over and says "So! What did she say??" to which my mom replies "YOU WERE SERIOUS??" Because it'd only been a few months, my mom said that she couldn't say yes, but told him he should follow her to her new job. He did, and 6 months later they were engaged for real 🙂
silverthoughts2 says
When my parents got engaged, my Dad worked late at his Uncle's pizza shop. One night he got home and told my Mom he was hungry and wanted her to make him some toast. Of course my Mom thought it was a weird request, but she went along with it and when she went to butter his toast she found an engagement ring instead of the butter. I'm not exactly sure why my dad planned it that way but it was pretty unique and funny.
Less-Than Gyllenhaal says
Kitchen table under a fluorescent light. No ring, just the promise of a honeymoon in Ireland, which they then did.
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Little Laura says
My dad asked my mom several times. He even write her a note with two boxes, one for yes, one for no. She added a third, maybe. She still has the note. They ended up eloping. They both still have their original wedding set.
My husband proposed at his apartment on a Friday evening while I was watching Wife Swap. He started picking at his guitar And I told him to wait until a commercial. I had no idea that he was trying to play me a song. 🙂
Elle Sees says
i want bells, whistles, fireworks, glitter, sequins, twinkly lights, AND a sparkler or two…all of it. and preferably to be captured on film AND i'm having a good hair day. not much to ask for, right?
Adele says
The story of the engagement of my parents is actually very funny.
They were on the metro (Romantic place.:D) and my father said "We should get married so we can get the loan for building the house easier." (I hope I am writing it correctly, English is not my first language). Hehe, it is so funny, not very romantic.:) Almost all these events of my parents are crazy/funny, their party after the wedding is even crazier.:))
They are not together anymore but they are very good friends and everything.:))) They still celebrate with a glass of champagne on their wedding anniversary.:)))
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