The Proposal
- Urbend
- Feb 1
- 4 min read
The second you decide to propose, you’re hit with a rush like no other. You want the moment to be perfect, since it’s a story that will be told for years, and while it may seem exciting on the surface, there’s a constant layer of pressure simmering beneath it.
I started planning the proposal a month and a half before the big day. Being twenty-seven at the time and a late bloomer when it came to career paths, I broke the elements into manageable, budget-friendly parts I could pay each week. The premise seemed perfect and thoughtful, and the amount of planning made it look a lot more expensive than it actually was. Five neatly wrapped gifts, all left in locations significant to our relationship, and accompanied by a rhyming clue.
If you take an outfit and break it down, you have five gifts: a dress, shoes, a necklace, earrings, and a clutch or purse. By wrapping them individually and using them as breadcrumbs, the one outfit you purchased becomes a fun, romantic, and memorable experience. If you’re like me, gift wrapping hasn’t made it to your list of skills. To up the production value, I purchased gift boxes and attached ribbon to the top and bottom of them so they can be opened easily. Other than doing all of this without being caught, the hardest part was writing the clues. They had to lead to specific locations, and I wanted them to rhyme. After I finally finished them, I printed them at home and cut them to size.
The day finally arrived. My friend was going to be waiting at my place when my soon-to-be fiancé got home. I set up the first clue on the foot of our bed, hopped in my car, and left. My friend had one job: text me when you’re leaving and arriving at a location. Knowing the first clue led to Rockport Memorial Park, where we would take our dogs to play, I triple-checked my trunk for all the gifts and clues before heading out.
By the time I parked, my phone dinged. They just left the house. I yanked the gift and clue out of my trunk and jogged over to the dog park. It was empty, which was perfect, because I had to leave the gift unattended. I left it on a bench with the clue tucked under the ribbon and checked the time before running back to my car. They could’ve pulled up at any minute, so I didn’t waste a second driving off.
Intentionally taking the longest possible route to avoid being seen, I was only a couple of minutes down the road when my phone dinged. They were at the park, and I was on my way to Paradise Key, our favorite restaurant, and the answer to clue number two. Luckily, the hostess was more than happy to play along and hand over the gift when they came asking for it. I thanked her and bolted back to my car.
Clue number three would take them to the Hideout, where we had our first date. If you’re not familiar with Rockport, that’s a minute or two down the road from Paradise, which means the risk of being seen had greatly increased. With a deep breath, I took a left and headed to the bar. It was the middle of the day, and the bar was closed, so I left the gift and clue in front of the door.
Waiting to leave the parking lot, I had to make a choice: take the shortest way to the house and risk passing them on the road, or go the long way and run into them at the house. Clue four would take them home, where they would get ready for our reservation at Latitudes, which was the answer to clue number five. I was covered in sweat, pressed for time, and still had to get ready for dinner. At this point, I had built everything up in my head, and it was going perfectly. The wrong choice could ruin it all and shatter the illusion I somehow managed to pull off.
I released a steady stream of air through pursed lips as the sudden click of my blinker filled the silence. I made a decision. Ultimately, I risked passing them on the street, deeming it the best of a bad situation.
I managed to get home without being seen, as far as I knew, and crashed through the door. My phone dinged. They were on their way to the Hideout. By sheer determination and anxiety, I managed to shower, get ready for dinner, and leave the house before they got home.
I sat outside Latitudes for a while. I wasn’t bored, and my nerves had disappeared. After the buildup of the day, the climax was here. Five gifts and five clues that lead to a restaurant, you would think the proposal would happen at dinner, which is exactly why I didn’t do it there. Instead, when they arrived, they would see me sitting with her best friend at a table set for four.
After dinner, we went back to my place, where my other friend was setting up a romantic display while we were eating. When we walked through the door, we were greeted by shots, and as my friend made a toast, I dropped to one knee, pulled out the ring, and popped the big question, “Will you marry me?”
