Wednesday, August 03, 2005

An Engaging Day

Inspired by the SugarV's recent post on how he proposed, plus the fact that I have been talking about Billy Lane alot so I want everyone to know exactly how awesome Hub, here is our "getting engaged" story.

We had met in 1994 at a seedy, meatmarket-type bar in NYC (someday I will share that story). It was now November 1996 around my 25th birthday. We used to have season tickets for the Devils at that time, so he came to my parents house to pick me up for a game and was an hour early. I came downstairs yelling, because why was he there so early! I wasn't ready! Turns out he was asking my parents for my hand in marriage. I knew something was up because when I came down, everyone was completely silent (a rarity for my family) and Hub was white as a ghost and trembling.

A week later, he tells me we are going to do something, but won't tell me what. He comes and picks me up and we drive out to western Jersey. We pull into the parking lot of some little inn/bed & breakfast/restaurant place. As we pull into the parking lot, I see what they are doing in the field behind the building - preparing hot air balloons. So we go over there and of course I realize the whole plan now.

We assist in inflating the balloons (there were three balloons going up at one time), and then we take off. We float over the ground, and since it was fall we can see through the leafless trees and watch deer and turkeys and other animals roaming in the woods. It was awesome. Finally, Hub gets down on one knee (yes, in the teeny hot air balloon basket, and yes, he is afraid of heights) and proposes. I don't answer right away because I am distracted by the fact that he tied the ring to his pants with string so that it wouldn't fall over the edge if he dropped it. Someone in another balloon apparently also got engaged, as our pilot gets a message over the radio that "She said yes!" So our pilot says "We have a yes too!" To which I replied - "I didn't say yes yet!" So of course then I say yes. We have champagne and all that. After the flight, we talk to the other couple who just got engaged and they already have a date and a place picked out!

Then we drive to my parents' house where they are waiting for us to arrive, along with his mother. She has brought Italian pastries and his sister sent a pricey bottle of Perrier Jouet champagne for us to enjoy. We hang out for a little while, reliving the event for them. Then, Hub tells me to go get changed for dinner. What? There's more?

So I go change, and he takes me to The Shadowbrook, which is one of my favorite restaurants of all time. We have a wonderful dinner, and all the while I am wondering how he planned all this and when he had gotten so romantic. It was just perfect.

-----
Funny thing: remember how I said he tied the ring to his pants? The pilot said, "I had a guy propose to his girlfriend up here and he dropped the ring over the side. The girl was freaking out, wanted to land the balloon and look for it, etc. Then, he pulls out the real ring and says that was just a practical joke." So I go to work the Monday after we get engaged and I am telling this girl how Hub proposed. She tells me how her now-husband proposed the same way - and threw a fake ring over the side as a joke. Ha ha. He was the one the pilot had told us about. Ha ha. They are now divorced.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love romantic stories like that. My husband and I had lived together for a couple years so we already knew that we were geting married. I helped picked out the ring and we got home with it. He started acting all weird and he finally got down on one knee and asked me. I was on the phone to one of my best friends, so he hung out in the kitchen sweating bullets! I am evil.

W. S. Cross said...

Cute story (in Hollywood, they even call it "meeting cute" when the boy and girl meet in a sweet way).

BTW, I reviewed your site. Enjoy!

Unknown said...

That is such a wonderful story! What a great mine to take such lengths to "do it" in his own special way!

Anonymous said...

Such a sweet story! I've never been in a hot air balloon or even heard of anyone being proposed to in one. That is so cool.

You've inspired me to tell my story now, but it's definitely not as exciting/romantic as yours ;)

Miss_Vicki said...

Holy shit that's soooo romantic!! I love the joke about the fake ring and dropping it - good thing the girl didn't jump overboard to get it ;)

Mine was very less romantic, but hey I'm divorced now ;)

Anonymous said...

I dunno whether i should laugh or cry for your friend...

that was a very sweet proposal, and so well planned out. in my mind your hub is sooo sweet with that ring tied to his pants!

fakies said...

My mom gave her first husband the money for her ring, and he spent it on something else. She didn't find out he had given her a dimestore ring until it turned her finger green weeks later.

Your story was much happier. :P

Kim said...

That's sooooooooooooooooooooooooo romantic!!!! Wanna hear my romantic story? I'll have to post it later.

jlybn123 said...

That was very sweet and well planned out, to boot! Hey, maybe you guys can redo that whole scenario for one of your anniversaries...that would be pretty romantic too!!!

=)

Evey said...

Love this story. I think Chris would have proposed in the same way although I am the one afraid of heights and he knew he would NEVER ever get my up in balloon. Glad your hubby got over his fear to propose to you like that! Awesome!

Anonymous said...

My dad proposed to my mom while they were driving home from a friend's wedding, on the Garden State Parkway. He won her over with the line, "You know, we should do that." He couldn't afford a ring.

But...33 years later, here they are. K did good. That's why I like him.

kristen said...

Great story. I especially love the twist with the girl from work.

Jean-Luc Picard said...

A well told story, Jersey. Very good.

Molly said...

That's awesome! I cracked up with the part about the pilot radioing back you had said yes before you did *laugh*

Kimberly said...

What a sweet man you have! I love your story. Something to tell the grandkids someday...;-)

guppyman said...

Too funny on the other couple!!!!

As for your deal....

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

;)

Unknown said...

Cheers to ya sista...Great post!

Scarlet Hip said...

Classic story TJ. Love it.

Ally said...

That's a lovely story! B proposed to me in the pouring rain under a lamp-post with a 'No Dogs Fouling' sign, on the way home from a New Year's Eve party. We had to do it all again when we sobered up to check that it was real :).

Unknown said...

I would be soooo dead if I had tried the 'ring over the side' trick. She'd have thrown me over before I had time to get to the punchline.

Charlie Mc said...

I absolutely love the story!!!

Sarah said...

hi there! found you by way of Indigo. i LOVE this story. so romantic. it's like something out of a movie!! you are a lucky girl.

Shannon said...

Found you by way of Indigo, you have a great story, mine goes a little like this...

Kathleen said...

Nice story and Hub.

Sleeping Mommy said...

Very romantic, I am impressed. :)