Better Late Than Never
It was a casual decision. After four years together, Karen and I just decided to get married. We booked the venue, the photographer and then started thinking about a guest list and honeymoon destinations. We had never discussed an engagement ring but I decided I’d surprise her.
I had her mom mail me the family heirloom ring and then took it to a jeweller in Nelson to put the diamond into a new setting. Our photographer’s wedding package included a free engagement shoot so I figured I’d give Karen the ring then. Everything was going according to plan until I enlisted the help of my best man. I asked him to pick up the ring at the jewellers and then sneak it into my house and leave it in a drawer by the front door. Unfortunately between the jewellers and the house he popped into the bar and proceeded to have one too many.
Later that night I came home and checked the phone messages and heard my best man drunkenly stuttering,
“Abort Mission. Abort Mission!” I had no idea what he was talking about but when I walked through the house there was the ring box sitting out in plain view on the counter. Luckily I had gotten home before Karen!
The day of the engagement shoot I was a nervous wreck. We were at Grohman Narrows, near Nelson, and the photographer gave me the secret signal to say I could pop the question if I wanted. We walked a short ways away and I was shaking so hard I couldn’t speak. Karen kept saying, “Why are you so nervous? C’mon. We’re supposed to act natural.” Finally I got over my stage fright and dropped to one knee and pulled out the ring box. Karen was mortified: “Stop joking around! This is our photo shoot,” she said. Then I opened the box and asked her to marry me.
One photo really is worth a thousand words.