Will You Marry Me? Marriage Proposals done their way

Diamond Engagement RingWill You Marry Me? – Proposals their way

Couples continue to be very creative with their marriage proposals. Stories are shared about the charming guy who proposed in front of the congregation at church; the adventurous one who put the ring in a cupcake; and the sports lover who had the proposal announced during half-time at a football game. Whatever method was utilized, be assured that whether the proposal is a surprise or planned, the couple would rarely forget the moment. If you are still single, or single again, chances are that your proposal will be unforgettable too. Here are some of our favourites sent in by readers.

Ray and Zara
Every Christmas Day since they became a couple, Ray and Zara would spend the earlier part of the day with family and friends. Late in the afternoon, they would pack the car with several gifts, which they would deliver together to their many God-children and other special persons across the island of Barbados. Christmas Day 1998 was typical – save the marriage proposal that Zara received just after the day closed.
“The marriage proposal came as a complete surprise to me!” Zara recalls excitedly.

The range of emotions that Zara experienced immediately following Ray’s marriage proposal, are quite similar to those felt by many women across the world. Zara continues, “It had gotten quite late that Christmas Day, and we had delivered most of the gifts. I was aware that we had one more gift to deliver, but I thought nothing of the fact that there were two more wrapped gifts in the back of the car. We stopped by one of Ray’s friends to deliver what I knew to be the last gift, but Ray spent so much time at this friend’s house, that I got pretty angry, left there and drove over to his mum’s house. I told him whenever he was ready, he could meet me there”.

When Ray finally arrived at his mother’s residence, a peeved Zara was waiting patiently to advise him of her feelings regarding his prolonged visit with his friend. But the moment she was about to chide her partner, lover and best friend, he quietly handed her a postcard.

“I was still upset when I opened the card, which stated, ‘Follow your heart and your dreams will come true!’” Zara reminisces. “Then he handed me what I recognised to be the last gift which was in the car. I opened it, only to see a pile of sour grapes. I was even more pissed off…I was not impressed! But after I obeyed his urging to dig a little deeper in the box, I realised that there was a beautiful engagement ring beneath the sour grapes. Ray then gushed, “Zara, it wasn’t supposed to be like this. The grapes were still supposed to be fresh, we were to have some wine…” Then he said the words “I want you to be my wife, the mother of my children, and my companion for life.” I just cried and cried. Then Ray interjected, “Well, you haven’t given a response!” to which I emphatically responded “Yes, yes, yes!”

The following summer, Ray and Zara were married in a spectacular wedding ceremony. They continue to strengthen their relationship and became the proud parents of baby Jazzy last year.

Ade and Ronald
It appears as though holidays, birthdays and other special occasions are often viewed as perfect times to pop the big question. Just ask Ade, whose then fiancé proposed on her birthday, which falls on Christmas Eve.

“At that time, I was still living at home. We had just returned there after a beautiful dinner. I realised that all of my relatives were still awake and sitting in the back of the house. I looked around and realised that Ronald was pulling two Morris chairs together. He then called me over to sit on one of the chairs, got down on one knee, slipped on the ring and proposed,” Ade recalls cheerfully. He then pulled out a chilled bottle of wine, which we shared with the family,” says Ade, who now also shares two children with Ronald. 

Michael and Kat
It also appears that overseas vacations are highly favoured events for making marriage proposals. Michael and Kat were ecstatic when they were able to take a much needed break to explore Europe. Kat particularly remembers their visit to France. “We were standing in front of the Eiffel Tower and there came a time when I realized that Michael was not standing beside me anymore. When I turned around, I saw that he was kneeling, and then he asked me to be his wife!” she exclaimed, noting how gorgeous Michael looked during that unforgettable moment. “Of course, I responded in the affirmative,” she concludes.

Tarrah and Pedro
Back in 2012, Pedro also chose to propose in Europe – this time in Italy. His beautiful wife, Tarrah fondly remembers the proposal. “All I can say is that he proposed to me while we were in our room at the Mona Lisa Hotel, in Florence. I was very shocked. Anyway, I gave him a positive response a little later when we were in the bathtub”, she shares, adding that it was one of their more memorable vacations together. The couple will soon celebrate their third wedding anniversary.

Angela and William
Angela was also on holiday when she received her unforgettable marriage proposal. “I was visiting William, who at the time was living in the USA. We had just retuned to his home an early Sunday afternoon. We were sitting down in a chair next to each other and suddenly he queried, “If I were to ask you to marry me, would you?” So I teasingly responded, “Why don’t you ask me?” A beaming Angela adds, “So he just got down on his knee and asked me if I would be his wife and my immediate response was “Of course I will!!” One year later, William and Angela were wed and they are now the proud parents of two children. “We have now been married for seven wonderful years,” she confides.

Lynette and Andrew
Like Angela, Lynette and her partner, Andrew, were living in separate countries when the latter proposed. Lynette remembers, “I came to Barbados on holiday and a day on the beach was planned. We spent the entire day there, and we were strolling along the beach as the sun was setting. Then he pulled out a spectacular diamond and emerald ring, and asked me to become his wife. I responded ‘Certainly!” which was followed by the sharing of wine and loving kisses.

Shaunte and Karl
Not all marriage proposals come as a surprise. Take Karl and Shaunte for instance. Shaunte, who met Karl when they both attended the same secondary school reveals, “We had discussed marriage, and agreed that we would do it. Based on the type of relationship we had, a life together was inevitable. So we shopped for the rings while on holiday to New Jersey. A few days after buying the rings, Karl got on his knee and proposed. Although it was an expected proposal, the moment was still special,” Shaunte admits.

Carrie and Eric
Carrie and Eric had been “hypothetically” discussing marriage for some time. Having lived apart for a year and a half, Carrie had traveled to Vancouver, Canada to visit Eric. The evening after her arrival, they were having another “hypothetical” conversation, when he turned to her and said “So, do you want to?” She replied “Do I want to what?” When she realised that he was actually asking her, of course she said yes. They are getting married next fall.

Barbara – on first sight…twice
You may have heard about “love at first sight” – but may have doubts if it is a reality. Barbara is a believer – she was proposed to not once, but twice within the first hour of meeting a partner. Now aged 80 and still extremely charming and affable, she says, “When my first husband met me, he proposed within the first hour. He was on his way out of a marriage and he said to me ‘If I get my life right, will you marry me? I agreed, and once he was single, we got married.” They spent 32 years together until her husband passed away due to illness. Warmly, she continues, “When I met my second husband, he too proposed within an hour of meeting me. We were married five weeks later, and spent 11 fantastic years together before he passed away. I had two magnificent marriages, and can honestly say that I was married to two wonderful, wonderful men.”