Your first name?
Lizzie
Your partner’s first name?
Ariadne
Date of proposal
05/01/07
How old were you both when you got engaged?
24 and 25 respectively
Who proposed?
Me
How did your partner (or you) propose?
I almost didn’t because on the day I had planned she was feeling ill and it was one of those ‘bleugh’ days. But then I figured that’s what marriage is all about – still being in love and happy even when the details aren’t perfect. We had dinner and I convinced her that she should be the one to do the washing up! Then with her safely in the kitchen, I covered the sitting room with rose petals and candles and put on Nick Cave (the romantic stuff of course, not the murder ballads or anything!) and when she came back in I gave her a glass of champagne and we danced for a while and I todl her how much I love her. Then I had to make her close her eyes whilst I retrieved the ring and got down on one knee (I was crying a lot too, I’m really too emotional to do this sort if thing). After I asked she said yes immediately and started crying too! It was all very Hollywood!
Who did you share the news of your engagement with first?
Friends – called up almost everyone we knew! We couldn’t tell family members immediately because it was too late to call – Ari’s family live abroad and I wanted to tell my Mum before my brothers and she would have been asleep.
Describe your ring.
Really simple but elegant – plain yellow gold band with a claw set solitaire diamond – it’s quite pretty from the side too
Did you help choose the ring?
No – all her. She did ask about what sort of thing I wanted though
Will your partner wear an engagement ring as well?
Yes – I took her round every jewellery store in the world (well, five different countries anyway – we were travelling at the time) for about a year before I proposed asking her which ones she liked but she didn’t catch on. She never really wanted the sparkly diamond thing so hers is a thin gold band with a fire opal, set on each side by three tiny emeralds. Before I proposed she’d found a shopping list I’d made with a picture of a ring on it, which I’d then tried to change in case she saw it. But she found it anyway and said ‘ooh is this an engagemnet ring are you going to propose?’ Mainly she was joking but I had to convince her it was an alien and laugh that she thought I was going to propose (mean I know, but worth it for when I did)
Did you have an engagement party?
Yes.
If so, where was it held?
Just at our house but it was lovely. A few people came from out of town, we had fairy lights and candles up, and we felt properly properly engaged afterwards!
How many people were invited?
60-odd! Fortunately some didn’t come, and the rest didn’t all come at once!
Did you have a particular theme for your party?
No, just love and having fun!
When do you plan to marry?
4th July 2008
What are you looking forward to the most about planning a wedding?
We’ve got most of the planning done already – I think choosing a dress has been my most exciting moment so far!
