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Sometimes right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairytale.
Our Fairy Tale
Rose: More than 15 years ago when the two of us met at Kidz Camp, we had no idea what the future had in store for us. Back then we were simply best friends, enjoying each others company, talking for hours on the phone, laughing at private jokes, spending Saturdays at nearby amusement parks. We had a special bond. But after several years of friendship, we somehow drifted apart and lost touch for a little more than 10 years, aside from an occasional Christmas card.
Then, in December 2003 I got a Christmas card from Tim, but this time, something told me I should give him a call to catchup for old times sake. Well before I had the chance, he found me on my computer that very same week. We were so excited to "see" each other online that I told him to call me instead. He says he was nervous, we talked for the longest time and I never felt more safe and open to be myself. We made plans to "meet" and went to quaint Biagio's in Worcester on Jan 31, 2004 for Italian. He arrived at my door for that first date with flowers and old fashion perfect gentleman. When I first saw him, he was shy and appeared nervous, but I though he was so cute... I fell in love with his dimples! Little did I know my whole world was about to change!
The Big Night
After a year and a half as a couple the two of us felt we had both earned our first vacation. And Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas Cruise to the Western Caribbean was just the ticket to getaway and relax together.
Rose: Little did I know, Tim was planning something much bigger than a vacation for us!
Tim: Planning for my proposal took a couple of months. Since Rose and I had been talking engagement for quite awhile and we had looked at rings, she knew it would be happening soon. This made my whole objective to surprise her a little bit of a challenge.
During the week, I spoke to the captain, cruise director, and activities director while Rose was sleeping in the cabin. I wanted to propose to her in a romantic memorable and creative way and the Royal Caribbean staff helped to have the night planned out according to the image I had in mind.
I selected the intimate atmosphere of the ship's incredibly upscale, reservations-only "Portofino" restaurant, (Italian & Roses favorite). Portofino provided a luxurious adults-only dining experience with exceptional Italian cuisine and service you won't soon forget (In our case, never forget!)
On Friday April 29th, the last night of our cruise, we had Portofino reservations for 7:00pm to celebrate the end of our vacation. When we arrived, we took our seats at our requested table by the window overlooking the sun setting on the Atlantic. The view was magnificent. Once seated, I excused myself to use the restroom, while I quickly had to put my plan into action. I met the Maitre d' just outside the restaurant. I entrusted him with the ring, which was to be prepared "inside" the unique dessert created just for our occasion.
Rose: I really still had no clue any of this was going on!
Tim: After our four course dinner attentively served by three Italian waiters, Rose was so full she was reluctant to order dessert. However, when the Maitre d' came over to her and suggested (persuaded!) she try out a new dessert, they were introducing from Italy, she agreed to "test it!" The masterpiece they created was perfect. They hid the box under a small upside down bowl on a platter and covered it with mocha frosting, and whipped cream, and fresh raspberries. He explained that it had a solid chocolate center; she would need to cut with a knife. But when it would not cut the waiter helped her to flip over the bowl revealing the little red box. I walked to her side, took the box and got down on one knee and told her, "You're everything I want, and more than I ever could have dreamed of. I want to spend the rest of my life with you... Will you marry me?"
Rose: Though I had so many great things prepared to say for the moment he would someday propose all I was able to utter through tears of joy was, "I LOVE YOU, TIMMI. YES!" As he slid the most breathtaking diamond on my left hand.
Tim: Very few couples are lucky enough to have that moment of their engagement captured on film by a professional photographer. For as long as I live I'll remember hearing Rose fumble out the words "We're engaged!" and "you're from the ocean" as she was trying to piece things together... since by surprise the ship's photographer capturing our magical moment had spent time swimming with us at Labadee earlier in the week!
Rose: When we kissed, the whole restaurant started cheering and clapping. I hardly remember any of this however, almost ready to pass out! Especially when he asked me to STAND for more photos! It was like being in a dream. And once we sat back down, I could hardly speak! (Miss Talkative herself... speechless!) The whole night was pure bliss!
Us: It was weird not being able to share the big news with family and friends right away, but at the same time it was the greatest feeling, being able to savor that moment just for a while just the two of us. This was our first cruise and it will certainly not be our last. It was an incredible way to start our new life together and had left us with an unforgettable story to tell. Getting engaged aboard the largest ship on the seas while the sun set on the Atlantic behind us. It couldn't have been more perfect. Like our very own Titanic love story! (One of our all time favorite movies!) BEST VACATION EVER!
R. T., Newport, Rhode Island
Greg, my fiance, was supposed to be going to Tae Kwon Do (where we met as counselors of our club's summer camp), and coming over to my house after to hang out. He got to my house at about the time he would have if he were coming from the club, and immediately asked if I wanted to go for coffee. I was already in my pajama pants and had taken a bath and was ready to just hang out and watch movies, but I figured "what the hey," and got my shoes on.
Meanwhile, Greg starts saying "sorry for not taking off my coat, I'm pretty cold." Of course, I didn't think anything of it...it was pretty cold outside. So I got my shoes and coat on, and he hands me a scarf. "It's not that cold out," was my reply to this. "No, it's for your eyes," he told me. Confused but intrigued, I put it on, and he helped my out to the car.
Despite my best efforts to maintain my sense of direction, I couldn't keep up with all his turns and eventually asked him where we were. He answered by saying we were on one of the main through-city highways, and turning onto "Will Street." Meanwhile, I'm thinking "My bus to school takes this road every day, and I've never noticed any Will Street. " So I ask him again where we are. And he replies that we're turning onto Eunice Street. Once again, I try to figure out where this could possibly be, then decide it must just be in a part of town that I've never been to before, but still wondering what he has up his sleeve to want to put a blindfold on me.
The last time he did that I was greeted by a home-cooked lobster dinner in his backyard. Just as I was about to ask him again of our whereabouts, he pipes up with "Okay, we're getting into to the 'M' section of this neighborhood now...there's Madeline Avenue, and Margaret Boulevard..." So I'm really wondering what is going on now, and ask if we're close to where we're going. So Greg says "Yep, all we have to do is make one more turn down Marian Street..."
So we drive a little while longer, and then he stops the truck, tells me not to get out until he helps me out, and not to take off my blindfold.
Next thing I know, our song is blasting all around me, and he opens my door, leads me onto soft ground, sits me down on something hard and cold, and says "do you know where we are?" I reply that I have no idea, and he takes off my blindfold. He'd taken me to the giant rock where we sit to watch the sunsets at the lake, the rock that we have our names carved into inside a heart. I look up at him and he's wearing a suit (which is why he kept his coat on at my house), and he sits down beside me.
Then Greg said, "Tell me, in order, what streets we turned onto..." well, all this is so confusing, and he mentioned a lot of streets, so he had to help me out a bit..."Will, Eunice, Marian..." Then he said "I figured 'Me Street' would be a bit much...as I'm sure you can guess, I said YES!!!
We went to his house, where his parents waited eagerly for the news; instead of going to Tae Kwon Do that night, he had gone ring shopping, and found the one he proposed to me with. It was the week before the May long weekend, and we were going camping with his family, where he was originally going to propose, but apparently couldn't even wait that long!
His parents were making bets as to when he would pop the question...his mom won with "in less than 12 hours!"
N. G., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
My boyfriend, Bryan, worked the kind of job that requires a lot of overtime at a moment's notice. After almost a year, I had grown accustomed to this. On December 9, we had made plans to do some Christmas shopping together since we both had the day off. The night before, however, he called and told me that he was going to have to work instead. I could tell how upset he was about it so I talked to him for a while and told him I understood and not to worry about.
The next morning, I was just getting ready to leave when I heard a knock at the door. Bryan was there. He said he just had to see me before going to work because he felt so bad about having to cancel. Then he surprised me by handing me an envelope. He told me not to open it until after he was gone. When I did finally open the envelope, I discovered that he had planned a day of beauty for me. The note said that he had called in some last-minute favors in order to pull it off. I spent the whole day receiving a massage, a professional hair cut and style, my first ever manicure and pedicure, and half an hour with a professional makeup artist learning how to apply makeup-something I had never been allowed to do growing up and had never really learned after moving out.
I arrived home around 5pm and had just settled in for the night when I heard another knock at the door. When I answered, there was a man standing there in a tux. He asked my name and when I managed to stutter it out, he asked me to wait a moment. I stood in shock at the door in my bathrobe and had no idea what was going on. When the man came back, he was carrying two dozen long-stemmed roses with petals tipped in silver. The card said, "Bibbity, Bobbity, Boo. Your carriage awaits. Take your time." I asked the man at the door what that meant and he asked me to wait again. When he returned, he had an armful of Christmas presents. He told me to open them and everything would make sense. The first several gifts contained makeup-blush, eye shadow, mascara, foundation, lipstick. In the other packages there were a pair of silver strap dress shoes, a pair of earrings, and a silver charm bracelet with a heart that was engraved with December 9, 2004. The last and largest gift contained the most beautiful black cocktail dress I had ever seen. The gentleman told me to take my time getting ready and that he would be waiting when I was finished.
It took me only a few minutes to put on the dress, which fit perfectly, and apply the makeup using the techniques I had just learned. I had left my hair as the stylist had done it, so that only required a moment's fluffing before I was ready. I walked outside to find a white, stretch limo in my driveway. The man in the tux put on a chauffeur's hat and opened the door for me. He helped me in and told me to enjoy playing with all the buttons because the drive would take some time. The windows in the limo were heavily tinted, so I couldn't see where we were going. By the time I started getting bored with all the buttons, we had finally arrived. The door to the limo opened and the driver helped me out. There was a red carpet covered in rose petals that led to the door of one of the finest restaurants in town. Bryan was waiting for me at the door. As he escorted me in, I said, "I thought you had to work." He smiled at me and responded, "I lied." After a wonderful meal, he helped me back into the limo and we went to the movie theater. It turns out that he had reserved an entire theater just for us and we watched The Polar Express. This was one of my favorite children's books, and he knew how excited I was when a movie was made of it.
After the movie was over, we got back in the limo and headed home. Bryan told me he had another present for me. He pulled out a small box wrapped in green and gold paper. Inside was a little velvet box that he took from me before I could open it. He told me that he had loved me since the moment we met and the happiest day of his life had been the day I had told him that I loved him too. He said that he believed there could be only one way he could ever feel happier then that day. I started shaking and crying. He opened the box to reveal a gorgeous diamond solitaire. I realized that he was shaking and crying too. "Rachel, will you marry me?" I started sobbing and barely managed to whisper yes.
He kissed me and we just held each other and cried.
R. C., Huntsville, Alabama
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