Everybody loves a good engagement story, but to be honest, they’re all relative, right? Because everyone is an individual— and they have different expectations.
When asked if having a romantic engagement is expected, 73% of women said yes and 62% of men said yes. Quite a difference, right?
When you boil it down, are expectations rooted in having success, applause and accomplishments celebrated from those kindergarten graduations? Have divorce rates impacted the way engagements (as well as marriages) are viewed? Is there any correlation between having an over the top engagement and being asked to the prom in a Broadway like production?
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Or is it truly about individuals, their love story and their shared history?
We love engagement stories and a few of our favorites are taken from a cross section of couples today.
Josh and Jennifer (names changed to protect the innocent) say that theirs was the perfect engagement story because it was uniquely ‘them’. Josh proposed to Jennifer at Christmas time in 2019 in their home town. They’d first met at the skating rink near the high school where they met and 14 years later they were back in town together. They decided to revive a town tradition and go ice skating on Christmas Eve after church— and Jennifer says that Josh totally surprised her with a ring. “Not in the hot chocolate or anything goofy, he just proposed as we were skating around the rink together.”
Samantha and Bobby were engaged on a trip to the Cayman Islands. Bobby says that he knew Sam wanted a big engagement so he did the best he could by proposing on the beach at sunset with champagne brought by the hotel staff. They immediately video called with both sets of parents to tell them the good news.
Ron and Eva were engaged in the drive through at Wendy’s. No, you didn’t read that wrong—- you can’t make stuff like that up!!! ? While they sat in line waiting for pickup, Eva asked Ron if they were ever going to get married and Ron said sure, let’s do it. Eva says, “and that was that. Pretty much sums us up as a couple!”
If you’re hoping to be engaged soon, do you want an elaborate proposal?
• If you’re engaged or recently married, was your engagement true to you as a couple?
• If you could write your perfect proposal story—- what would it be?
In a 2019 survey of 250 brides to be, 88% of them said that they couldn’t be happier with how their engagement happened. 5% said that they were disappointed and 2% said they were the one that proposed so it was perfect!!! (Of course 5% said they had no opinion, so there’s that).
Tony Abbott is a wedding expert and author of several popular books on wedding planning, including “The Ultimate Wedding Checklist” and “Wedding Day Tips and Tricks.” With over a decade of experience in the wedding industry, Tony Abbott has helped countless couples plan their dream weddings with ease and joy. Her writing style is warm and engaging, and her advice is always practical and actionable.
