The Announcement

B2b here. With the initial excitement subsiding, the reality dawning and the chiming of ‘I’m getting married in the morning’ finally easing off in my head, it became all too apparent that the next step for the fiancées would be the grand announcement. Whilst still in the icy, snowy bubble of Prague, amongst strangers and tourists, goulash and dumplings, nothing seemed quite real; but not to be fooled by this dreamlike world, a flash of my sparkly diamonds usually served as a handy reminder keep us grounded. It was with this glint in my eye and weight on my finger that I hesitatingly picked up my mobile phone and reached for my first speed dial...my mum.  

Having been told that my dad already knew the news, I was flabbergasted firstly that he agreed and secondly that he managed not to blurt it out as I was departing the house and keep me tied to the banister. As far as father daughter relationships go, I am definitely daddy’s little girl and I have been told on numerous occasions that I will not be leaving the family unit until I am at least 50, so it was a daunting prospect to face his reactions. Nonetheless it was my mum who I contacted first, as my dad is usually extremely busy and important. The international dial tone rang in my ear, H2b was finally turning a healthier shade of pink and we began our slippery descent down the snow covered rolling hills of Prague’s most romantic park. My mum answered the phone and as I told her the news, her reply was, “Ah, so he’s done it then?” Not quite the euphoric response I was seeking but I took it as a positive one nonetheless!

Upon telling my sister, her screams reverberated in my ears, as her excitement seemed to outweigh mine and when ringing my nan, thoughts turned to my granddad who will be sorely missed at our wedding, so the conversation ended with her “going to have a little cry.” H2B’s dad declared his intention to buy a new spotty bow tie in preparation for the big day and his mum a new hat. All in all, the responses seemed to be encouraging and my initial nerves about telling people were subsiding as I was touched by everyone’s kindness. Now being in a different country, it was obviously impossible to call everyone without racking up a phone bill the size of Wales, so we dubiously turned to the convenience of the social network. Unwilling to be one of those couples who tweets their way down the aisle, or relationship updates ‘Melanie Stead is now married to Shaughan Hawks’, the minute they say ‘I do’, I was sceptical about announcing my dreamy proposal online. However, with a few taps of the keys, a press of the return bar and a click on the ‘post’ button, we both broadcast our upcoming nuptials into cyber space. Responses were immense and overwhelming. We were touched. Thank you.

With everyone informed and our engagement finally made public, I can now concentrate on becoming a real fiancée, with real fiancée type responsibilities and lots of things to plan! First of all, an engagement party. That’s right...I want a party to celebrate me and him, in fact I think I might need three, one for southern family, one for friends and one for the northerners. And I’ll need cakes. Oh and champagne. Oh and a new dress for each. I think I’m going to like being engaged...

xB2bx

The Proposal

Armed with all of the essentials, a big sparkly diamond, a bulging wedding planner, a devoted fiancé and a whole array of wedding related dilemmas, I want to share with you all of the trials and tribulations, for better or worse, ‘til death do us part (etc!), of becoming a fiancée in 2011. Ladies and Gentlemen, please be upstanding and raise your glasses, I give you the bride (to be)...

2011 brought with it not only a new series of Dancing on Ice, a whopping VAT increase and the announcement of a new baby Beckham but the 5^th January also saw ‘that’ finger of my left hand, lovingly adorned with a sparkling rock. Unbeknown to me, my other half who I’ll refer to as H2B (you guessed it, hubby to be) had been saving up behind my back for the past two years and had actually had the ring in his possession for 6 months prior to popping the question. It’s amazing how much lying and deceit one person can actually accomplish in the pursuit of the ideal proposal and I’m not someone you can easily hide things from, let me tell you! I don’t want to sound cliché but it is almost impossible to not summon the magic of the movies when describing this life changing event and so in the words of Sandra Bullock’s character Margaret and Ryan Reynolds’s Andrew in The Proposal,

“Aren’t you supposed to get down on your knee or something?”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Now, we’ve been together for 6 years, so I don’t suppose you could really consider the proposal a total shock. We have been through university together (separate ones), saw loved ones come and go together, travelled to destinations around the world together, been unemployed together and generally done most things you could expect to do with a partner after 6 years together! However, it was a shock and that’s why my proposal was perfect. There was no candlelight, violins or serenading but instead there were rolling hills, snowy fields and passers-by! I never knew what my ideal proposal would consist of. Whether my no frills Mr Big would casually drop into everyday conversation, “Did you wanna get married. I wouldn’t mind being married to you,” or at a second attempt win me over with a jewel encrusted blue Manolo Blahnik heel; or like Monica I’d attempt the question myself (but yes there is a reason why girls don’t do this). The thought of Colin Firth’s proposal to Aurelia, in Love Actually is enough to make you weak at the knees but I am from Wigan, not Portugal, so this was always unlikely to happen. But I did know one thing, and this definitely is cheesy, I knew that however and whenever it happened, I would know the answer and H2B would know too!

So let’s get down to the nitty gritty details and set the scene. The year was 2011, the month January and the date the 5^th. The country was the Czech Republic, the city Prague and the temperatures around -8 degrees! We had planned a city break for some post Christmas relaxation and to simply get away for a few days, as like with most young couples we both still live at home and privacy is strictly kept to a minimum! It was day two of our Bridget Jones-esque city break and a mini break means true love. Suddenly feel like screen goddess...in manner of Grace Kelly...ahem. We’d already done a whole bunch of cultural things and the fifth of January looked to be no different, as we set out to visit Petrin Hill and observe what we were told, were the best views of the city from up high. Wandering through the park, side by side like Mr Darcy and Lizzie Bennett, albeit minus our top hat and bonnet, favouring instead a woolly bobble hat and ear warmers, in a picturesque setting, the wind battering our bare faces and our digits slowly freezing, Prague at our feet, I was oblivious to what was about to happen.  

The particulars of the event make for a very uninteresting read and are, I’m sure, only captivatingly emotional to me and my Nan, so I will spare you the details and just say that H2B got down on one knee in the snow, said some smushy things and popped the question whilst brandishing a gold, three stone diamond ring. As the tears froze to my face and I clumsily struggled to remove my cream, teddy bear mittens, H2B placed the ring on my finger and I, of course, accepted his gracious offer. And that was, as they say, a wrap! Without a fluff of his lines, a stumble or barely a quiver (he is only human), he had succeeded in doing what he set out to do. And I received a proposal fit for the silver screen. Well in my eyes anyway.

x B2B x