First Proposal...First Cruise...HELP!

[Vitello76]

In about 3 weeks I'll be taking my future fiancee (energetically knocking on wood) Elizabeth on a seven day cruise to Nassau, the Dominican Republic and St. Thomas. I'm not sure what I CAN do on a cruise interms of a proposal, so I don't know how elaborately I can plan! I'm really nervous about the trip itself..but I'm absolutely freaked out about how to actually propose because I don't know what to expect.





Just for a background...when we first met, she was going through a rough spot and I, as an interested guy, wasn't in the best position to personally help her though it but I so wanted her to find her happiness again. We were connecting slowly, but I couldn't break through the wall she was putting up.

We found that we shared a love for books and I'd always try to use that to connect with her when things were tough. In factm, the first gift I gave her was as signed first edition "Where the Red Fern Growns" by Wilson Rawls because it was her favorite book to have read to her. In any case, one of her favorite authors has always been Madeline L'Engle. I found out Madeline was an honorary librarian at St. Marks Catherdral in New York, so I took a chance and wrote a (very very long) letter to Madeline telling her what a great person I thought Betsy was and how much I cared for her but that right now she needed more encouragement and faith and inspiration than I could provide. I don't know what I was realistically hoping for, but I gave her Betsy's address. Madeline L'Engle sent Betsy a signed copy of her favorite book with a very personal inscription that includes a specific mention of me.

And it didn't happen over night, but we both see that inscription as the beginning of our relationship...and if all goes well, we'll be able to look at it as the beginning of the rest of our lives together.

But now I've set myself up as a tough act to follow and I'd like to make the proposal as special and story-worthy. I don't think a moolight beach setting is personal enough...I can't think of a sentiment or a situation that could possibly encompass what she means to me.

PLEASE HELP!

vitello

(and if you recognize the name or the story here...please don't tell her about all of this until AFTER the cruise. Thanks)

 

[researcher]

The best advice I can give is to either have the crew help you to decorate your cabin (maybe fill the while thing with her favorite flowers and have romantic music playing) or research the places you're going and figure out a spot that would be really romantic. There are usually tours and the like offered at each of the destinations, so you can get the tour people to help you or take her on a private tour or to a private place. Is there the home of a famous author on any of the places that you will visit? What if you were to bring "Where the Red Fern Grows" or the Madeline L'Engle book and read your favorite passage to her in a private spot?

 

[chialea]

I love Where the Red Fern Grows, too. I have great memories of that book. There aren't any romantic-type passages in there, but there are some about dedication and comittment, but I don't have a copy of the book offhand, so I can't search for you.

Which L'Engle book was it?

I'm a complete book addict myself (though you couldn't tell it by how much time I spend with computers nowadays, regrettably), so I would look at doing something like taking a ribbon, tying the ring partway along its length, and using it as a bookmark in a book which you could give her... Boy, I wish I could do that with the watch I'm getting for my SO, I really like that idea. If you need suggestions on books, I'd be happy to throw some suggestions your way

On another note, since she sounds like she's had such a hard time before in her life, it might be easier for her if you've sounded her out about marriage... Are you 100% sure she's going to say yes?

 

[chialea]

Wait -- I just thought of a great book to do that with!

Pablo Neruda's Cien sonetos de amor (amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0292760280/) is a great book. The poems are in Spanish, with English translation opposite in most editions I've seen. I know there's a hardcover edition out there, but it might be somewhat difficult to find. In a pinch, I might rebind a copy of this myself. It's wonderful stuff; I love quite a lot of Neruda's work.

Read through it, find something you particularly like, and bookmark it. Guarenteed heart-melting.

 

[jenwill]

Well- most cruise ships these days have a library. I would see if the one you are going on has one, and if they do maybe see if you can arrange to bring a book (where the red fern grows comes to mind) with a cut out in the center.

Have a morning (or afternoon/evening) with a few minutes apart, but arrange to have her meet you at the library- maybe you want to get some reading material for relaxing. Place the ring in the cut out, put the book on the shelf, wait nearby so it doesn't walk off! When she arrives, somehow find the book and get her to open it. This is rough, since I just thought of it, but with some refinement it might work....

 

[Gale]

OMG Vitello! How can we possibly match the romance with which you have persued this (obviously) remarkable woman? The cut-out book, mentioned above, is definately a great idea. You could probably enlist the help of the crew with that by contacting the cruise-line in advance. Maybe you could even "go" yourself to the librarian with a articular request in mind, intending on reading her a very special passage out of this cut-out book. What a sweet surprise tht would be - and fitting with the start of your relationship.

 

[chialea]

It seems a terrible shame to chop up a good book... And why not just give her one. "I brought you a surprise for when we found such a romantic place by ourselves..."