On Sepetmber 10th, 2009, I proposed to my girlfriend of 3 years. But the story started 10 months earlier.
With us planning on buying a home, I knew that we were going to be paying close attention to our finances, so I would need to buy a ring before that happened to ensure she would be surprised. SO before Christmas 2008, I bought a ring, and kept it hidden away.
We were planning a trip to Switzerland at the end of 2009 and I had decided to propose in front of the Matterhorn. As a photographer, I wanted to get a photo of the proposal, and I thought this would be the perfect place. But my girlfriend decided that Switzerland was going to be too expensive, so I had to alter my plans. She changed her mind a few times, ruining my proposal plans in Germany at Neuschweinstein Castle in Bavaria, then in St. James park under the huge arching trees in London England, and we ultimately decided on a drive to the East coast of Canada, Nova Scotia.
Neither of us had ever been, and I found it hard to look up photo locations. So I decided to play it by ear. A week before we left I managed to find a way to talk about our ring sizes and since we were at the mall, we got our fingers sized. I brought her ring back the next day and had it sized so she could wear it when I gave it to her.
We headed out east and eentually made it to Halifax. Just outside Halifax is Peggy's Cove which has alandmark lighthouse. We dressed up really nice under the guise of doing Engagement style photos, but when we got there, she chickened out. It was too cold and there were too many people to do the photos, so she changed into something warmer, and we went out there and I took some photos.
When we got back to our hotel, I told her I wanted to go bak for the sunrise, and she agreed. So we got there early, and there was no-one around. I setup my tripod and had a remote trigger in my hand (hidden by the ring box) and I proposed...at 6:30am, at 2 degrees celsius. She said "are you really doing this" thinking it was just another crazy photo idea of mine. I just looked at her and she realized it was real, and she said yes.
She had no clue it was coming, which made me even happier. A guy just wants to surprise his girl, which is often difficult. If the wedding is often called the bride's day, then the proposal is the groom's, he can control the situation and run it as he wishes. Even with all the hiccups, it couldn't have gone any better.
The photo I'm talking about can be found HERE
ETA: link removed by moderator
Dustin