Friday, December 18, 2009

The Engagement Story

About a month ago I promised that I would tell you the story of Eric and I getting engaged, since it happened before I had entered the wonderful world of blogging :) Since we got engaged 1 year ago tomorrow, I figured now was as good of a time as any. It's actually a VERY short story, except for all the background you need to "get it..."

Before we begin I have to be honest with you and say I am not big into "engagement stories." Sure, I always ask people about the story and I have heard some good ones, but to me I'd rather that someone have a kind, caring husband every day, than someone who can come up with some elaborate insanity for the day they get engaged. Just me. I told Eric if he asked me somewhere public I'd say no, which was obviously a lie but I know I would have been not into the random strangers clapping for me.

Eric and I have been together for almost 5 years now, and for at least a few years of that time I have known we would get married. I was not in a huge rush to get married, I wanted to eventually but I knew (still know) nothing about planning a wedding, so I didn't really want to deal with it first of my friends (don't have to worry about that anymore haha). Also, by the time Eric and I get married we will have lived together for 2 1/2 years so really...nothing but *maybe* my last name are going to change on that day. In some ways I just think other people take our relationship more seriously now that we are engaged, we took it seriously before.

So, since we weren't in a massive rush, I figured we'd just get engaged sometime around summer '09 and plan a wedding for summer '10. No solid plans, if it was some other time, oh well. However, what we didn't anticipate was how crazy places at the Cape fill up in advance. There was never any thought that Eric and I would get married anywhere else other than the Cape. At some point around November last year we learned that one of the places we were seriously considering (though did not end up picking) was already filling up for 2010!

In a panic that we'd be stuck getting married on a Wednesday night (suddenly 2011 seemed too far away), we actually looked at wedding places before we were technically engaged. I seriously considered borrowing Katie's ring so that I would not look like one of those total psycho girls dragging her boyfriend to look at wedding places when he is contemplating a quick and permanent getaway to Thailand.

Anyway, back to the engagement. So, Eric had this great engagement plan in mind for awhile. It was going to be at the Cape, and he wanted to rent out one of these boats called the Catboats that go out in the Hyannis Harbor area.


You can rent them out for an hour- I think someone drives it for you and then Eric was going to propose on the boat. We were only hoping the ring would not fall into the water!

I had no idea about this plan, but Eric did tell me that his plan could only work in the summer. Oops.

So flashback to last December, it is clearly not the summer. The catboats are no where to be found and it is snowing at the Cape. No catboat ride for us. So Eric decides to embrace the current season (Christmas) and incorporate that instead of summer boat rides.

When I get home from work on December 19th (which by the way was the beginning of my vacation last year- why do I have to go til next Wednesday this year?!), Eric gives me a present...

And riding in the boat (instead of us) is my new ring :) Yay!

Though I know I would've loved the boat ride, in some ways I like this better because I think part of the fun of decorating the tree every year is reminiscing about who gave you which ornaments, what year you got them, memories that involve them etc. Now, Eric and I have a very special ornament on our tree every year that we can reminisce about!

The night we got engaged we got to go to an awesome show in Boston of How the Grinch Stole Christmas with Eric's family. It was in the middle of a massive snowstorm...

Eric's mom bought me a Grinch stuffed animal that sits on my dresser now. I like to have "souvenirs" of great days and places and now I have two from December 19, 2008.

Just for fun, here is what our wedding place looked like the day we picked it...

A little different than it will look in July '10 huh?

Okay time for "Would You Rather?" engagement style:

Would you rather...
...be home or out when you get engaged?
...be in public or by yourselves?
...pick out your own ring or have the guy pick?
...be surprised or know what is going to happen?
...have a large diamond or a sparkly diamond or no diamond at all?


23 comments:

  1. I love it!! Such a fantastic story Kelly. I'm so happy for you and Eric.

    Ok, here are my answers (hopefully Nick is reading...haha):
    I would rather: Be in public, but alone and secluded (maybe a park??). I would rather give Nick tips on picking out the ring, but ultimately I want him to pick it out. I would rather be surprised, FOR SURE, and I want a sparkly diamond, NOT a big one!

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  2. I like what you said about "I think people now just take us more seriously that we're engaged," it's so true and that's so annoying I hate not being taken seriously about things. I always took you and Eric seriously : ) haha and I still call Eric your boyfriend because nothing really has changed in the way I view you guys and then when I'm talking about him to like my school friends they're like, "you mean fiance?" I'm like ITS THE SAME THING. haha anyways, small rampage.
    It's so sweet how Eric was going to propose to you on a boat : ) You could still do something fun like that like on your one year anniversary?
    And to answer the questions (hey with any luck maybe my future husband is reading these):
    - not in public. I have never thought about this before your post, but I agree who wants random people clapping afterward?
    - pick out my ring. I'm picky.
    - Well I guess if I pick out my ring it can't be a surprise... although I'd like it to be sort of a surprise, like when and how?
    - The ring itself: not too large, not too crazy. Something simple and purty : ) Something that when people look at it they're like oh thats very Caroline hahaha

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  3. When my husband and I got engaged, we were alone and I liked that. He took me out for a special night..it was New Year's Eve so we were actually in a hotel room. He picked the ring out all by himself and the only real clue I remember providing was my size and my bff always said a girl deserves at least 1 carat...so that stuck in his head. I was not at all into telling him what to get...I don't think I even knew myself. I had never been ring shopping at all. We never did that together either so he was able to tell me more about diamonds then I ever knew when he gave it to me. Sparkle is good, but what matters most is that you look at the ring and think it's beautiful and feel special because of the guy who gave it to you.

    What a great story...I think huge proposals are over rated but I also think that the guy matches what his girl wants, so for me, intimate was nice, but for some girls a huge display might be what they are looking for. At the end of the day what matters most is getting a great man for a husband for the rest of your life...so I am with you on that one!

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  4. Thats so cute :) You guys seem so happy and in love still!

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  5. cute story! I'm sure the place you are getting married is lovely, even in the snow!

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  6. What a sweet & thoughtful proposal!

    We were engaged in private, down by the lake. I wouldn't have it any other way.

    Happy Engagement-Anniversary!

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  7. we were exactly the SAME way. Ian and I didnt have a big elaborate engagement/proposal. we've been together for 4 1/2 yrs and like you guys we knew we would eventually get married, just didnt know when and well this year we decided to make things concrete and set a date, May 2011. I have a promise ring but no ginormous rock on my finger. he also wear a ring I bought him early in our relationship.

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  8. Great engagement story! :) Now to play along...

    I would rather be by ourselves either at home or out in public when getting engaged. I would rather him pick the ring with an idea of what I like in mind. I would like it to be a surprise, even though I hate surprises! I don't need a large diamond, but I would like a diamond... just something pretty :)

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  9. That is a really cute story!!
    Would you rather...
    ...be home or out when you get engaged? = either!
    ...be in public or by yourselves? by ourselves (I'll cry
    ...pick out your own ring or have the guy pick? i think he has good taste, but I wouldn't mind giving an idea ;)
    ...be surprised or know what is going to happen? Surprised!
    ...have a large diamond or a sparkly diamond or no diamond at all? Sparkly diamond!

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  10. Awww that is SUCH A CUTE STORY! I love it that he gave you the ring in the boat.

    I have told my Eric the EXACT SAME THING, if he did some stupid public proposal I would say NO! LOL. I would be SO embarrassed if that happened!

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  12. How cute! Very thoughtful. I like it when guys put a little effort into it, doesn't have to be an elaborate thing. Getting you a boat ornament is adorable!
    For me, out or in both seem fine, private or with friends/family, the guy picks (he can ask my sister for help), surprised, and maybe just a modest size sparkly diamond (was that an option?). I need to get a boyfriend before I get to that stage though!
    Congrats again. Very cute story!!

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  13. Great story! I LOOOOVED the way my hubby proposed - I was completely surprised that day and it started when I woke up with a day long scavenger hunt taking me to places we've gone together, to "hints" that included things we'd do together in our lives, a massage and more! it was perfect! :)

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  14. What a beautiful story!!! I loved it and you really don't need an over the top engagement for it to be absolutely special and from the heart :)
    Chris and I are kind of engaged, or more like a promise?, but I would like to be out, but not completely public, be surprised and I would like to pick the ring or give pointers, I like the smaller ones. He gave me a small diamond ring from his great grandma's pendant so I think we will just add a few smaller ones on the side :)

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  15. Awwww thanks for sharing the story! That was so schmoopy!!!! I gotta be honest, I love me a good engagement story. Congrats girl and Happy Engagement Anniversary tomorrow!!! :)

    Alright to answer your questions:
    ...be home or out when you get engaged? - Either
    ...be in public or by yourselves? - Either
    ...pick out your own ring or have the guy pick? - I LOVE surprises and would hope he would know me well enough to pick out something I love (or at least call my girls for guidance)
    ...be surprised or know what is going to happen? - SURPRISED!
    ...have a large diamond or a sparkly diamond or no diamond at all? - Hmmmm I dont really know. Any diamond will do! LOL!

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  16. I love hearing people's engagement stories - not because I expect a grand gesture, but because each one is slightly different and unique and it is such a happy day in a couple's life. I think your story is awesome - and the boat ornament is so cool!

    Here's my answer to the would you rather:
    1. I don't have a huge preference. I would want it to be an intimate setting (so by the lake, at home, at a cozy restaurant, etc). Or wherever!
    2. Prefer for there to be as few people around as possible!
    3. have him pick it out! No ring shopping or hint dropping either. If he needs help, he can consult one of my best friends!
    4. be completely surprised!!
    5. I would want a small to average size diamond. I have tiny fingers so a huge rock would look weird on me!

    But really, when it comes down to it, I would say yes to a lifesaver - it's all about the person asking the question.

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  17. What a great story. I like that it's so personal. Sometimes when stories are WAY over the top sweet I have trouble believing it. I wish I were going to your wedding because it sounds like it will be just a fun, laid back, celebration. Which is always the best type of wedding.
    I don't think my boyfriend and I will get married. We live together and have talked about it, but it's not something that's important to us. I freaked out about it at first, like, oh my god I'm 30 and not married! But we're happy living in sin, so why rock the boat? If it does happen, I don't even want to get engaged. I'd rather just go to Vegas or to a courthouse and get hitched. Then I'd come home and celebrate with a huge party and massive hangover ;)

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  18. Instead of playing the would you rather.. since I already have been engaged.. I think I will share my engagement story on my blog soon. It's a cute one, and one I would never have expected but so heartfelt and fun at the same time. :) That location looks beautiful in winter, I can only imagine how awesome it will be this summer.

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  19. Aw, I love the little boat ornament story. Now when you put that ornament on your tree each year, you can reminisce.

    My husband proposed in the restaurant where we had our first date. I had seen the ring before, but had no idea he bought it.

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  20. lol about the strangers clapping. ditto there too! gah seriously we are like twins i swear! :) loved your story... just perfect. i much prefer this type of proposal than like, swimming with dolphins or something.

    and now for your questions:

    ...be home or out when you get engaged?
    didn't matter. as long as it wasn't like mid-restaurant!
    ...be in public or by yourselves?
    we were out in "public" but also by ourselves. (sunrise at beach) being shy the no-strangers is def what i preferred.
    ...pick out your own ring or have the guy pick?
    GUY PICK!! i'm old fashioned there :)
    ...be surprised or know what is going to happen?
    SURPRISED! except i wasn't really :( (partially my fault haha)
    ...have a large diamond or a sparkly diamond or no diamond at all?
    aren't they all sparkly? haha. part of me wanted to be untraditional here - who decided a silly rock should cost tens of thousands of dollars? seems so dumb to me when i think of it like that... but then again i also wanted the ol' traditional symbolism of it. kind of lame, but i love it. haha.

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  21. What a cute story!

    My now husband and I met in college our freshman year but didn't start dating until our senior year. He proposed to me outside the snack bar in the student center - where we met as freshman. So a public place - but a place that had a sentimental meaning to us both.

    I wanted nothing to do with picking out a ring - he did a great job though.

    I figured out when he was going to propose - I figured he would propose on campus and so he said we should stop there on the way to visit family one day and I figured out he would propose.

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  22. Oh, I love engagement stories and yours is cute! I love the fact that you now have a boat ornament on your tree and it must mean so much more to you than anyone else who looks at your tree! How cool.

    To answer your questions...
    1. I would rather be out when I get engaged - only because that's the only way I've ever imagined it!
    2. I would rather be with just me and my soon-to-be-fiance, mainly because it's such a private moment that other onlookers don't need to witness.
    3. I would rather have my boy pick out my ring. It would be cute if he went with my mom and they picked it out together. But I want to be totally surprised when asked and the only way is by him getting my ring!
    4. Whoops...I answered this in the previous one. ;)
    5. I'm not sure about the diamond, but I do want one. Something not-too-flashy but not-too-boring. In-between. Kinda like me. ;)

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  23. Awwww I love this story! My husband proposed without a ring on a beach in the West of Ireland. It was November, and we were the only 2 for miles. He had a ring picked out but not purchased, and we both knew we wanted to get engaged in Ireland. I have an antiquey style diamond, small with diamonds in the band, and I love it. My hands are too small for bigger rings!

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