Proposal Stories

Danielle and Jason -- watch their proposal on The Today Show.

Knot Annie — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:14:00 GMT

Our NYC Trip

I was born in New York and have always considered myself a New York girl, even though I eventually moved to Florida for college. While in college, I met Jason. Funny, sweet, and adorable -- my perfect match. We had been dating for almost two years when he had to go to New York City for training at the end of July 2006. I wanted to visit New York City as well, so I decided to go with him.

We were scheduled to fly up on a Saturday, but we missed our flight. We got on the next one and landed that afternoon. We spent the weekend exploring the city, shopping, and eating. On Monday we were planning to go to Rockefeller Center to watch the filming of The Today Show. Jason woke me up at 5:30 a.m. (so early!!) to go to the taping. He tried to get me to shower and do my hair and dress nicely, but I was NOT having it. I threw on clothes; he walked me the few blocks from Times Square to Rockefeller Center and got me a bagel and coffee on the way.

The Proposal

We were standing in the crowd, and the whole time I was complaining about how tired I was and that I couldn¹t believe he had woken me up so early.
Around 8:00 a.m., it was time for the weather. Willard Scott was outside, came over to us, introduced himself, and asked for our names. Then he said, "I think we have a moment here..." I turned to my left, and Jason was down on one knee. He said, "Danielle, you're my most favorite thing in the whole world. Will you marry me?" I was SHOCKED! I couldn't believe it -- I had no idea he was planning to propose! Of course, I said yes!

Watch it Below:

The link to the video is below. It was such a wonderful, sweet, and thoughtful proposal! He had been planning it for months, and it was a great surprise!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBSyrCWBUkw

Rachael and Sean

Knot Annie — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:41:00 GMT

How We Met

My fiance, Sean, and I originally met at work at Applebee’s. We were both hosts, but not single. I was with another man, who apparently no one wanted me to be with. Within weeks Sean and I had become really good friends. I had developed feelings for him, but I was true to the relationship I was in. To avoid the temptation to act on the feelings I had for him, I tried to set him up with a girl we worked with. I guess I believed that since I couldn’t be happy with him, I should find someone who could make him happy. It was a very hard thing for me to do.

Our friendship still grew, unlike the relationship I tried to forge for him. He and the other woman were definitely not going to become a couple, and my best friend stepped up. She knew my feelings; she was the only one who knew. With a good push from her and the undeniable feelings I had developed for Sean, I decided to follow my heart. Usually I’m the type of woman who thinks with her head, not her heart. To this day I’m so thankful this was one of the few times I went with what my heart wanted.

Our Life Together

Fast-forward two years later. We had left New Jersey to move and get a new start. Our friends and family always knew we’d get married, as did we; it was just a matter of Sean asking. Without my knowledge, he had talked to my grandma (my Oma) in May 2007, and she had given him the ring that was a family heirloom to give to me.

Recently my cousin left for Japan with the Navy this past March (2008). My Oma paid for my mother and me to fly out to Michigan to see the family one more time before he left for Japan. The trip was great and wonderful and one of the best times I ever had. What I didn’t know was that while I was in Michigan, Sean was back home getting friends and family together.

The Proposal

I got off the plane back home in New York and walked with my mother to my awaiting boyfriend and stepdad, who said they’d be there to pick us up. As I hugged Sean, I didn’t think of anything but of how much I missed him. He stepped back from me and went down on one knee. I thought that a proposal was coming soon, but I had totally put it out of my head to clear my mind and have fun with my cousins. So, as I looked down at him, I was at a loss for words. He told me I was the love of his life and the most wonderful woman he had ever known. I cried, he hugged me, and someone (there’s debate if it was him or me) put the ring on my finger. As if that wasn’t enough, right when I had said yes, about a dozen of our friends and family showed up. His family came from New Jersey, and our friends traveled 45 minutes from our hometown to be there. They came with signs and cameras. Now not only do I have wonderful memories, I also have pictures and videos of the best moment of our lives. Plus, I’m pretty sure we had many observers (like pilots and security guards) to share the story as they went about their days.

Sue and Todd

Knot Annie — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:27:00 GMT

A Surprise at the Office

On a Thursday night in January, Todd came over after work. I was still finishing up a few things for work at home on the computer. He came in and told me I could stop working. I said, "No, I just have to get this done, one second." I turned around and saw he had a suitcase with him. He told me to open it. It was filled with bridal magazines, bathing suits, sundresses, and travel-size lotions and shampoo. There was also an itinerary! It said we were leaving for the Bahamas the next morning! He had arranged with my boss more than a month in advance for me to have Friday and Monday off. He had booked a manicure and pedicure for me, a massage, and a swimming with dolphins adventure for us, plus dinners at Nobu and Mesa Grill at Atlantis. I was totally surprised! I started jumping up and down and screamed, "We're going on vacation!!!" I called everyone I could think of to tell them of my surprise!

The Trip

The next morning, we arrived at the airport in Nassau. Todd said he had arranged for airport transfers. We were waiting for our taxi, but then a stretch Navigator limo showed up to pick us up! It took us to the Cove at Atlantis, the newest addition to the resort. When we had been there last year, we had seen how amazing it was. We said if we ever came back, we'd love to stay there if we could afford it. It was amazing! We checked in and then I was off for my mani/pedi at the spa.

The Proposal

That night we had dinner at Mesa Grill, and the next morning we went swimming with the dolphins. We went to the beach for a bit afterward, and then I went to my massage appointment at the spa. I got back to the room, and Todd had arranged with the concierge to help him decorate it. It was filled with votive candles Todd had packed and rose petals he had ordered online. Everywhere I looked there were great pictures of the two of us from other special occasions.

He took me out to the balcony of our room and told me to look at the beach. He had written, "Will you marry me?" in the sand. He had hired a lifeguard to watch the message! I was so amazed by the whole thing!

Even though I knew we’d be getting engaged at some point this year, I had no idea it would be in such an over-the-top way! We enjoyed the rest of our engagement weekend eating at fabulous restaurants, sitting in the sand, and floating in the lazy river.

It was truly wonderful and I am lucky to have found such an amazing guy.

Patty and Brett

Knot Annie — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:51:00 GMT

How We Met

Brett and I have known each other since we were four and five years old. We met in church and basically grew up together. Although I’m a year older than Brett, we were always really good friends. Our church had a children’s choir called Creator’s Crusaders that we used to sing in, and you’d always find us standing next to each other singing and laughing. Once high school came around and things in our lives got busy, we lost touch. I went off to college and soon found out that the school I went to wasn’t the place for me. During the last semester I was there (before I was going to transfer home), Brett and I started talking again. We’d talk online for hours and hours. Once I was home we continued talking, but there wasn’t any time to get together. On the very last night before summer break, I went to his school to hang out, and from that night on, we’ve been inseparable. Four years later, we got engaged and are now planning our wedding.

The Game

I’ve grown up loving the New York Yankees, but sadly Brett hasn’t; he’s a football guy. But I had mentioned to him once in 2007 that the next season was the last one in Yankee Stadium. I told him that I had only been to Yankee Stadium once and how I’d love if he and I could go back one more time before they close forever. I should also mention, being a die-hard Yankee fan, I absolutely despise the Boston Red Sox!

So my birthday was coming up, and I kept trying to get clues for what he had gotten me. All he said was, “It’s not about the quantity but the quality.” (So of course I started to think he was going to propose!) Well, when my birthday came around and it was time to open my presents, Brett handed me a very un-sturdy present (which obviously wasn’t a ring!). I opened it up and saw a NYY jersey with Jeter’s name and number on the back! I was thrilled! He told me to make sure it was the right size. When I went to try it on, I noticed an enveloped was paper-clipped to the tag. He told me to open it, and inside were two tickets to see the NYY vs. Boston Red Sox on April 17. I was so excited!!!

The Proposal

So we went to the game (which was three weeks after my birthday), and we were having a great time. We got to our seats and they were awesome! At the middle of the fifth inning when I was looking around and not paying attention to anything, Brett took my camera and mentioned to look at the scoreboard. I saw: “Patty, I’ll always love you. Will you marry me? Love, Brett.” I was confused! I’d been pushing him for so long to propose that I didn’t think he was actually going to go through with it. So I turned and looked at him. He stood up and I said, “Are you really doing this?” and he said, “Yes…” (he got down on one knee) “…will you marry me?” Of course I said, “Oh, my God, YES!” Although the Yankees lost, it was still the best night ever!

Lauren and Tom

Knot Annie — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:32:00 GMT

His Story

The day I proposed went perfectly, and it was more than I could’ve hoped for. The clouds parted to give us plenty of sunlight when we arrived in Jonesboro, which is about 400 miles south of Chicago. We stayed at Hidden Lake Bed & Breakfast. I asked the innkeeper to make me a fake itinerary for sightseeing, which started with a trip to the top of Bald Knob mountain. We unpacked the car and headed up the mountainside. Just to get to the top was a five-mile ride. The climate there was six weeks ahead of Chicago’s, so everything was in full bloom. The road was winding and very scenic. Our favorite movie is The Notebook, so I played some of the songs from the soundtrack in the CD player as we ascended to the top.

The View

When we got there, the view was as breathtaking as I had pictured it would be. From the top of the mountain, you could actually see three states. There was also a giant white cross that had been built as a universal symbol of God for all denominations. I believe it’s the largest cross in Illinois, and it brought a spiritual sense to the occasion. We got out of the car and walked to the grassy observation area. It was very quiet at the top with no wind at all, as if time had stopped for us. We took pictures and talked briefly. I told Lauren I was going to go get the binoculars I left in the car. This was when I got the ring. I took it out from its hiding place in the trunk and walked up to her. Her back was turned and I took her hand to turn her around. When she looked back, I was on one knee. Needless to say, she was very emotional.

The Proposal

I was going to launch into a romantic speech, but that went out the door upon seeing her reaction, so I just went with the traditional, "Will you marry me?" I had to ask her five times because she was in such shock. She finally said, "Yes!" She loved her ring! We spent the next two hours on the top of the mountain calling our family.

When we came down the mountain and back to the B&B, she found the bottle of champagne and pink roses that were placed in the room while we were away. We grabbed the bottle and two glasses and headed to the swing by the pond that was on the property. We sat and talked about our future under the moonlight for several hours. I made another call to my mom, and while telling her about how perfect the day was, I saw a shooting star. It was long and beautiful as it streaked across the sky. Lauren didn't see it, but I took it as a sign from above. We called it a night soon afterward.

We spent the next few days celebrating by touring nine wineries, wine tasting, hiking, and rustic horseback riding. Finally, we came home on Sunday. It was the best weekend of my life.

Jeannie and Russell

Knot Annie — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:16:00 GMT

The Preparations

Russell originally made up his mind to look for an engagement ring about six months prior to asking me on May 7, 2007. He then spoke to my boss to request a few days off from work for me. He told her that he wanted to surprise me for our six-year anniversary.

On Sunday, May 6, he started doing the laundry and was acting a little weird. Luckily for his grand surprise, I didn't think anything of it because I wasn't feeling well. Russ was trying to find a way to get me out of the house. He thought of calling one of my friends to take me out for lunch or have my girlfriend call and ask for a favor, but since I wasn’t feeling well, he didn’t. He went into the bedroom, looked through my closet, and said that I had a lot of clothes. Apparently he was trying to figure out what clothes I normally wear. Any chance he got, while I was showering or napping, he would grab something of mine and run down three flights of stairs to throw it into his truck. He was in such a rush that he often left the clothes on the hangers. He was trying so hard to pack for me.

Things Always Work Out

On Monday morning I woke up around 5:30 a.m. still not feeling well. I called in sick for the first half of the morning and told my boss that I’d be in around noon. Russell wasn’t sleeping well either that night. Around 2 a.m. he went to the living and slept on the couch. Around 7 a.m. I told him that I called my boss and would go in around noon. At this time Russell knew there would be confusion with my boss, but it was okay because it’d be explained when I returned to the office.

Russell woke me up around 11ish and asked how I was feeling and if I needed to go to the doctor. I told him that maybe I should go to the doctor and just take the day off. He then said, “Well, we can take the day off and go to Santa Barbara.” I was confused. Santa Barbara…what were we going to do up there? It was totally random. He was asking to gauge how I felt. Russell decided he had no choice but to tell me what he had planned for us; he couldn’t cancel the hotel reservation since it had past the cancellation period. He explained to me that he already spoke to my boss and that we were going up to Carmel and leaving now. Needless to say, I was very surprised and excited! I also got to pack the things that I actually wanted to take. And would you believe it, I suddenly felt much better. His initial plan was to carpool with me to work on Monday morning and, rather than get off the freeway at our normal exit, he would’ve driven straight to Carmel/Big Sur instead, never letting me in on the surprise until we arrived.

The Proposal

On our drive up to Carmel, I did wonder if Russell was going to propose, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up if it didn’t happen, so I let the thought go. We arrived in Carmel close to 6 p.m. Russell had booked an amazing hotel nestled in the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the gorgeous beaches of Big Sur. Over dinner on the balcony the first night, while watching the sun set into the ocean, he got down on his knee, handed me a small jewelry box, and said, “You know what would make this sunset even more perfect?” He then asked if I would be his wife, and I said yes.

Tricia and Sean

Knot Annie — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:19:00 GMT

How They Met

I moved to Baltimore in the summer of 2003 to do volunteer work with Mercy Volunteer Corps, and I decided to play softball with the church I was affiliated with. Sean had been living and working outside of Annapolis and had always played softball with his church. The two churches are sister parishes, and softball games were played together frequently. We met during the game, and afterward both teams would hang around for a drink or two. We didn't start dating until July 2004; as Sean puts it, it took me a year to come around and realize what I had been missing.

The Proposal

We ran the Shamrock Half-Marathon together on March 16, 2008, in Virginia Beach. This was my second half-marathon and Sean's first. I had gotten into running a little over a year ago doing mostly 5Ks, but I enjoyed the longer races too. Sean ran the occasional 5K with me, but he’d much rather go for a two-hour bike ride than a 30-minute run. I told Sean that if he ran this half-marathon, I’d stay with him at his pace. We trained together leading up to the race, and then on race day, I stayed with Sean during the entire race as promised. Sean stayed strong, even when the pain in his legs felt like it couldn't get any worse, and he stopped only temporarily for stretching breaks. When we finally reached the finish line, he hugged me and told me that he didn't think he ever wanted to run one of those again. He then said that he did know he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. He proceeded to get down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes, and it was perfect!

The Night Before the Proposal

Sean had the ring safety-pinned in his shorts throughout the race. The night before the proposal, we went out to dinner, and he was freaking about safety pins. I obviously assumed it was for his race number, not knowing he was planning on proposing and pinning the ring in his shorts. I couldn’t understand the need to worry about the pins, and I kept assuring him we had pins at home from our race packets. This didn’t satisfy him, and even when I confirmed that I had safety pins from old races (I’m a frequent 5K runner and therefore have many race numbers/safety pins), he still didn’t 100 percent believe me. As soon as we got home, he asked for the safety pins. Still not realizing what the big deal was, I found some for him and said something like, “Here, is this good?!” If only had I known what was in store for me the next day, I think I would’ve been a lot more understanding.

Making the News

We were lucky enough to have our abbreviated proposal story featured in The Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg’s local newspaper, and the most recent edition of the Washington Running Report. Something to definitely save for the wedding scrapbook and to send to our parents!

Heather and Kenny

Knot Annie — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:10:00 GMT

A dinner date

Kenny and I met back in 2003 during our college days at Rider University. March 3, 2008, was our five-year dating anniversary, and we had plans to go out to dinner in Philly after I got out of work. After a great dinner, we walked to where I thought Kenny's car was parked, near Love Park.

A love poem in Love Park

As we got to the park, he started to go in and I couldn't figure out why. I told him I didn't think there was another way out. He assured me that there was and I went with it. He had told me earlier in the night that he wrote me a poem as my gift and I’d get it when we returned to his house. However, when we got in front of the Love statue, he spun me around and told me that he had lied and had the poem with him. The poem was so sweet and the second-to-last line read, "Make me the happiest man on earth.”

And a shockingly perfect proposal

I started freaking out. I instantly thought, “That’s what people say when they’re going to propose!” And he said quietly, “Read it again.” My eyes flew all over the paper, not realizing that the first letter of each line if read straight down spelled out: "Will You Marry Me?" He then got down on one knee and proposed. I was so excited and so shocked that I started saying (after I thought I said yes), “Are you serious? Really? Oh my goodness, this is crazy!” He stood up, hugged me, and said, “So I guess that means yes.” I responded, “YES...of course!!”

I found out the next day that Kenny had arranged for one of his friends to be in the park and took our picture the exact moment I said yes! He had it framed with a copy of the poem.

I’m still on cloud nine and we’re so excited. I couldn’t have dreamed of a better proposal, and I’m so excited to spend the rest of my life with my best friend!