Photo Credit: Krista Knudtsen
By: Krista Knudtsen
February has arrived and the world is using hearts, flowers and the color pink to not-so-subtly remind us that love is in the air.
As February inspires these thoughts of love and romance, some might be faced with a crisis. “How am I going to propose?!” You’ve heard it that it needs to be special, memorable and creative. Well maybe you need some ideas. Thanks to several of our own Milligan couples, you now have some free advice at your fingertips.
Eeva and Will Clark’s engagement story wins the award for being the farthest away. Their engagement took place when Will was visiting Eeva’s family in Finland, a day before the Swedish princess Victoria got married. Will began by giving her notes saying “do you remember when we met?” A box of Sisu accompanied the note, which is a black licorice they had shared on their first meeting.
Another said, “do you remember our first date?” That note was followed by a dinner at an Italian restaurant, reminiscent of that first date. Later that night they ended up in a Cathedral (called Tuomiokirkko), where he handed her a note that said, “do you remember when you said you would marry me even if all I had was a string for your finger?”
Eeva turned to find Will on bended knee. He added, “well, I’ve got something a little better than just a string.”
Remember guys, sentimental, but sincere is good.
Jennica Lyons began telling her engagement story with “Well, it didn’t go quite as planned.”
While her and her fiancée were in Maryland, they had decided to take a detour to New York City on their way back home. Her then fiancée, Andrew, had intended to propose there, with elaborate plans that included a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride; however a snowstorm sent them straight home. Although the proposal setting had to change to a cozy breakfast scene, the thought still counted and the engagement was nonetheless sweet.
So guys, both elaborate and simple plans are wonderful, but remember to check the weather forecast.
Cara Beth Brackins’ engagement night could have begun better in her opinion. She wasn’t feeling the greatest and after dinner, Canaan suggested that they watch a movie at his parents house.
Knowing his bride-to-be well, Canaan knew that she would fall asleep during the movie, which was part of his plan.
Since the beginning of their relationship he had asked her what he should call her (to which she replied, “your girlfriend”), he woke up a groggy Cara Beth with the question “what should I call you?” Thinking he was being silly, she answered impatiently “your girlfriend.”
To that he replied that he didn’t want to call her that anymore, instead he wanted to call her his wife. Needless to say, she was neither groggy nor unhappy anymore.
Dr. Pat Magness also told her engagement story, which actually took place after wedding plans were in order.
Because she and Dr. Lee Magness had the familiar empty college bank accounts, they had not planned to have a ring. Yet, when Dr. Lee Magness’s grandfather gave him his grandmother’s diamond, he had it set and proposed to her on the steps down that lead down to the softball field on this very campus, where a plaque now sits.
Dr. Pat Magness had wise words for any pre-engagement couple, saying: “it’s not the ring that’s important, but the commitment.”
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