Help with proposal idea?

[doctorbonez]

Hi everyone,

I've read a couple of stories on this thread and I feel like such a slacker in the planning department. :-p Here, people are planning months to a year in advance, and I'm planning.. oh about a week in advance.

Since we've started talking more about 'what would happen if we were married', in addition even stopping in on an unplanned visit to a random Kays at the mall, It feels like the element of surprise of the actual proposal is gone... thats something I'd like to change.

Anyway, thus far, all I have is a vague idea of what I want to do.. plus a ring that should be here in a few days. We went to a real jeweler to look at diamonds this past saturday, originally I was gonna go alone, but I was getting fearful that I would get something she didn't like.

So my plan thus far is this.. Originally I had an appt scheduled with a jeweler this coming saturday to look at rings w/ my gf (2nd appointment). While I haven't cancelled the appointment yet, I was considering bringing her to the city under the pretense of the 2nd appointment to look at rings. We'll be conveniently early, and I'd suggest a walk around central park. My plan was to either walk to a nice secluded location we had visited a few years back , or pop the question near one of the bridges I remember seeing

My gf has something bordering on a fetish for calla lilies, so I was tihnking of making them a part of the proposal.

This is how the first scneario would work out. I (or more likely an accomplice) would need to be there before hand to plant a bouquet of calla lillies at 'our spot'. I'd tell her that I heard of a place where calla lillies grew in CP, and when we found the 'stash', Id have her go get it (maybe climb into the brush or what not), and in the middle of one of the calla lillies would be the ring.

In the second scenario, I'd need an accomplice come offer some flowers (ie: callas) for us to buy.. I'd always turned these down (yea, how romantic eh?).. but this time, I'd ask how much, and my accomplish would reply with something like $100 or something like that. I'd get out my wallet, pay the man and he'd pick out a 'special' flower (of course with the ring in the lilli), and pop the question.

So here are my questions/problems:
1) having trouble finding someone who will be an accomplice that I trust. I could either find a close friend that I trust that she has never met (not that many), or I could pay some random guy on the park to do it and promise him 100$ to either offer the flowers or plant them at a predetermined spot, and then I'd have to perform alittle slieight of hand to slip the ring onto the flower before she saw (challenging I'd imagine). Any way to get around this? maybe there is another way to do this without the aid of an accomplice?
2) What should we do afterwards? I'd imagine it would still be in the mid afternoon.. we can either grab food or just walk around some more. Yea, I'm not the most romantic guy on the block.
3) I have a VERY limited/restricted weekday schedule due to work and I'm about an hour outside of the city. I *might* be able to take a 'sick day' and go into the city to do some planning if necessary.. but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

Any thoughts/considerations/ideas/suggestions for me?

Thanks

 

[imhelping]

Sounds like a great plan. It might not be as hard as you think to put the ring in the lily. if she''s sitting down, just have your back to her when you "buy" the lily and slip it in then. she''ll think you''re getting money out of your wallet or something.
of course this may be easier said than done. good luck.

 

[somethingshiny]

Hi, there.

Okay, first, I am completely UNfamiliar with NY and CP. So, in saying that, I don''t know exactly how you would or wouldn''t be able to have an accomplice. But, for the "after proposal" is there like a ceramics shop that you two could go to and make a vase or something to commemorate the day (also a place to put the flower). Or maybe find somebody who does caricatures at the park and have them do a pic of you two with the ring as the center of attention in the drawing. Or, go to the pre-appointed jeweler and look at wedding bands together. A whole wedding extravaganza day.

As for the surpirse aspect, it''s okay for her to have an idea that it''s coming. I had an inkling when my husband was going to propose, but the way he did it was the memorable part (which I had no idea). Try to enjoy the time you have now, to harbor your secret of having the ring, in planning something wonderful for you soon-to-be.

I know women who were proposed to while they were watching tv, in a bathtub, and at a Dennys. (yeah, the ring was burning a hole in his pocket!) None of them were remotely disappointed by their turn of events.

The hard part''s over, after all. You''ve found the woman you want to spend your life with. There will be plenty of time for really big surprises through the many years together.

Good Luck to you, and Best Wishes!