Millennials have taken to proposing marriage to each other with avocados. GenX was fond of the flash mob when proposing. Some folks have gone above and beyond in their marriage proposals. Here are some of the most unusual.
The Starbucks in Amsterdam’s Airport
Austin Mann and Esther Havens are freelance photographers who started falling in love with each other in Starbucks. As they traveled, they left notes for each other hidden in airport locations of the coffee chain. They would each text clues on where to find the notes whenever the other was in an airport with a relevant Starbucks.
When he knew Esther was going to be in the Amsterdam airport, Austin hatched a plan. He hid the note, but also hid himself. He enlisted the crew working at the coffee shop and Esther’s younger sister, Anna, to help him pull off an epic proposal. He texted Esther clues to the hidden note.
Esther’s note told her to go to the counter to receive her special drink he’d pre-ordered for her time and time again at various Starbucks restaurants. When she turned around, she found Austin on bended knee with a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a ring in the other.
The Accidental Double Proposal
Tori Monaco and Berkley Cade had been seeing each other for a year when each secretly started planning to propose to the other. Berkley bought a ring for Tori in September and planned to propose to Tori during a trip to see her family in February. Tori had a ring waiting for Berkley and planned her proposal for the same trip.
Berkley’s mother, Kristy, was behind the double proposal. In separate conversations with each young woman, Kristy suggested a proposal while they played Pictionary one evening. When Berkley was at the easel drawing, Tori dropped to one knee behind her and guessed “Will you marry me?” holding out her ring. Berkley burst out laughing and pulled out her ring, too.
Parliamentary Procedure
In Australia, Member of Parliament Tim Wilson was giving a speech on same-sex marriage as the country was moving toward legalizing it. His partner of seven years, Ryan Bolger, was watching from the public gallery.
During his speech, Tim said, "In my first speech I defined our bond by the ring that sits on both of our left hands, and they are the answer to a question we cannot ask.”
He went on to say, "There's only one thing left to do. Ryan Patrick Bolger, will you marry me?"
Ryan said yes to a resounding round of applause — and his answer was entered into the official parliamentary record. To make sure nobody missed it, speaker Rob Mitchell said, "That was a 'yes', a resounding 'yes'. Congratulations, well done, mate."
A Tiny Wingman
When Darick Mead decided to propose to his girlfriend, Susan Medina, he “didn't want to do it just because of my son. I wanted to do it because it felt good in my heart.” He chose not to ask her to marry him while she was pregnant.
Darick planned to propose the day their son, Ryder, was born. However, Susan was in labor most of the day, went through three epidurals, and wound up needing an emergency C-section. Darick decided she’d been through enough for one day.
The next day, he snuck Ryder out of the room long enough to put a special onesie on Ryder that said, “Dear Mommy, will you marry my Daddy?” When Susan unwrapped Ryder’s blanket on the premise that the nurses wanted her to learn how to change his diaper, Darick dropped to one knee and proposed. Susan had to ask him, “Are you sure?” before she said yes.
No matter how simple or elaborate your proposal, make it a moment to remember. You and your spouse will look back on that day for the rest of your lives.