I need some help with this one... a lot of help...

[GregUofMN]

Hi everybody--

I''m struggling with figuring out how to propose to my girlfriend. Please bare with me, I''m still trying to think of an actual good idea.

Here''s my idea:

We met when I was a rower on the U of MN crew team. I was in the boathouse changing clothes and I was standing there in just my boxer-briefs when she walked in. She was there to try out for the coxswain opening. (A coxswain steers the shell and basically barks out orders to the guys in the boat.) Anyways, when she walked in, I kind of looked up and calmly walked to her and shook her hand an introduced myself. I could tell that she was a little bit more uncomftable than me... but not by much.

I was thinking about bringing her back down to the boathouse, but since I''ve graduated and am no longer on the team, I''m going to have to come up some kind of excuse to get her down there. When we are down there I would drop pants and pull out the ring to propose. Granted I would tell her how I feel and how I want to spend the rest of my life with her, etc, etc, etc so it wouldn''t just be 100% goofy.

We''ve been dating for 5 years and we both just want to get married in an informal, inexpensive way and therefore I am trying to have a fairly "low-key" proposal.

Yes, this is actually what I''ve come up with. So please, please help me!


I''ve been also thinking of the various ways in which guys propose...

What do girls like more:
1. The romantic way. ie., Dinner, then walk in a park, then BAM sappy proposal.
2. The shocking way. ie., While I''m shaving, yell that I cut my finger and run to where she is with my hand wrapped in towels only to have her unwrap it, holding the ring.
3. The funny way. ie., See story above.
4. The public way. ie., surprising her at work.
5. The just-like-when-we-met way. ie., See story above.
6. The family way. ie., have her/my family be in on the act.
7. The trickery way. ie., have "will you marry me" written somewhere, like on a napkin while we have dinner.
8. etc...

 

[Nicrez]

Hey Greg! I was on my crew team in college too! Coxswain and women's light-weight(= coxswain who needed to be useful when thier voice was shot)

I thought your idea was...charming? But maybe the pulling down the pants is not a story you want to tell the grandkids? You could always say that you want to go back because for some reason or another they got a new racing shell (Maybe a fancy new Vespoli?) and they are naming after you, because ...*insert lie here* (such as, it's a tradition to name it after the BEST rower)

You could say that you want to see it and make it special, bring a bottle of champagne to christen it together, and make it seem like this is some moment totally about you, when you have the boathouse perhaps lit with some candles (if it's dark) or have some romantic music playing with flowers waiting, and of course the champagne....

I like the idea of bringing her back to where it all started, but I would hope that the maturity and romance has upped a bit, so maybe just luring her there under a pretense is a good idea? You could have a friend waiting in the wings with a video camera or camera...although I never like that idea, some women do like having their moment chrystalized in media...

GOOD LUCK!!!!

 

[fire&ice]

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On 2/24/2004 7:16:46 PM GregUofMN wrote:

Hi everybody--

(A coxswain steers the shell and basically barks out orders to the guys in the boat.)

I was thinking about bringing her back down to the boathouse, but since I've graduated and am no longer on the team, I'm going to have to come up some kind of excuse to get her down there. --

Could you arrange a boat & you be the "coxswain" and yell out "Will you marry me?"

As far as a good reason to go, say you would like to see the team again.

And, errrr, no - I don't think I'd drop my drawers. I understand your rational - but I wouldn't want to tell that story to to many people.

good luck!

 

[Nicrez]

F&I good idea, except we don't know what our former rower weighs, which is a big plus as a rower, but NOT a coxswain! He could flip the shell over (as they are usually made of a thin polycarbonate resin that allows them to row quickly with less resistance for the rowers)...




Greg, if you are NOT a light guy (as most big muscular rower men I knew weren't) try pretending as well to want to go for a row and ask her to be YOUR coxswain, and have some fellow rowers there too. As you are rowing a particularly smooth area, you could just easily row in stroke position, facing her, and mid row, either stop and lift a sign that says will you marry me, or just pull the box from a CLOSED ZIPPERED pocket, and have the guys still rowing you two...Try not tipping the boat over with super happy hugs! I get nervous about the ring on water, so that's something you can wait to be on dry land for...




Also, you can have her go through a bunch of index cards as she coxes with "songs or inspiring phrases (we did this at pre-competition rows), and the last index card could say, "will you marry me? If yes, steer us to land", and have the flowers, champagne and ring ready at the boathouse... For a real wower, wear a suit or tux underneath wind suit or something (try not to sweat too much!!!) and show her a real surprise!!!

 

[weemodin]

I like the cut my finger shaving one. However, I have a soft spot for cut fingers and proposals (see my thread in show me the ring...)

Otherwise, the rowing story sounded good. Perhaps you could say that your old team is having a reunion of sorts, and then have the reunion just be you and her? Hm... I thought the dropped pants part was honestly sort of funny!! Then again, I was disappointed that my fiancee didn't go through on his original proposal plan... he told me that he was going to present the ring to me atop a block of cheese.... a cheesy proposal!! I would have loved that, but he said he worried that it was a tad inappropriate.

 

[sumi]

It mainly depends on what type of person your girlfriend is. I am a very private person. I would not have appreciated it at all if my husband proposed to me in front of friends or family, or even at a restaurant. My husband proposed to me over breakfast in our home. I was still in my PJs and I hadn't even washed my face or brushed me hair yet! It was perfect!

I think the shocking way it SO FUNNY! If your GF is not the type to take herself too seriously, you might be able to pull that one off.

If you propose on the water, just make sure to have the ring tied on a string to something, or somehow secured. It would be SUCH A SHAME if the ring were to fall in the water in all the excitement of the proposal.

 

[GregUofMN]

Alright. I'm scratching the whole pulling my pants down thing completely. I was just delivered the ring today and HOLY SH!T is it georgeous! I just can't bring myself to the idea that I previously had.

However, the sudden snow storm that we had last night gave me an idea. I'm thinking about taking my girlfriend to a park and building a snowman together complete with snowfeet, snowarms, etc. Just as we are about done making it, I'll tell her to grab something behind the snowman at which time I would place the ring box in the hand of the snowman.

Unfortunetly, when I got off work today, I noticed that most of the show had melted. Thus, I'm back to square one, unless it snows again and soon! I'm getting nervous I won't come up with a good idea and I'll do something stupid instead!!! HELP!!!!

Thanks,
Greg

 

[sumi]

Oh! Snow sounds so romantic! I can just imagine the snow glowing at night, how pretty. Mind you, I'm from Los Angeles and it's so hot right now that I'm sitting here in my tank top and skirt. It was 90 degrees yesterday and it feels about the same today (yuck!)


Most importantly, don't stress out too much about how you do it. I guarantee it will be very special not matter how you do it, as long as you are sincere and thoughtful. Good luck!

 

[Nicrez]

Greg, I still like the boathouse idea. Whatever you do, I suggest you either plan in advance, and do things that way, or even a romantic walk somewhere special or even a dinner...I know it's been done, but you seem to be too nervous to carry out a planned event with details.
You can determine what to do by realizing what kind of girl she is...Is she casual? ROmantic, likes sports, nature walks, nostalgic, etc? Tell us about her, maybe we can help with ideas!!!
Oh, you better post pictures of that ring!!!

Sumi, don't make me come over there and live with you! I am freezing my butt off here in this cold, rainy/snowy sort of mess! I WANT TO WEAR TANK TOPS TOOOOO!!!!