to share or not to share...

[bopitaddict]

thought i''d finally share my idea...

i''ve been racking my brain for the past 2 months trying to work out the details for the proposal... the details are what i need help with.
my plan:
i was planning on having her do a scavenger hunt around the city at places, restaurants, and locations where we have some history (where we met, first date, etc.), and then finally having her end up where i am. she''s into puzzles and mysteries and such... so, at each location, i was going to have a ''quiz'' question prepared for her (general knowledge about us), if she gets it right, she gets a lilly and then another clue as to where she''s supposed to go next... if she gets it wrong, she''ll have a chance to explain her answer and then if that''s still not acceptable, then she''ll have to do a task (like sing a song in public or something (haven''t thought of it yet)). at the end, when she meets up with me, i''ll have one final ''quiz'' question and that''s where i''ll drop ''the'' question.

anyways, i was planning on doing it on our annivesary to try and deflect her smelling anything out...

my problem is that i was planning on having our friends help out and be at each location to ask the questions and to confirm whether or not she''s right about the next location so that she doesn''t get lost... but that''d probably give it away to a certain extent? or would the anticipation be good enough? and would having our friends involved take anything away from the proposal? like is the proposal supposed to be just me and her? i was planning on taking everyone out afterwards and celebrating... but if people think it''s better to just take her out and celebrate, let me know... of course, the proposal will just be me and her.

so i guess my questions are:

1) should i have our friends at each location? or should i personally go with her to each location? or should i have the hostess at each place give it to her?
2) if i don''t go with her and parking is difficult, should i have someone drive her?

any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[sparklish]

I think having frineds involved is cool. But it would be cooler if they didn''t know what was up; if there''s a way to get them involved without telling them what was up, then that would be fun because then you guys together can share the news (and it avoids the risk of anyone spilling the beans.) This sounds like an amazing proposal by the way. It''s so creative and fun!

 

[Gale]

Your idea is really a lot of fun. You should get your friends/her friends to help out - if they know what this is all about, they should be delighted to have been asked to participate. Swear them to secrecy! You could assign one person to act as her driver. That would ensure she reaches the ultimate destination, and take the strain off of having to find places to park (the driver could just circle). Either that, or each person she meets takes her to the next destination.

Someone had a proposal similar to this a couple of months ago. I think it was posted in the Pre-proposal Syndromes forum, but I cannot remember who it belongs to. She had a great time with this, but I do remember that her now FI underestimated the time it would take to complete some of the steps, and was kept waiting in the cold for longer than he expected. If you get your friends to call you once she has passed their particular skill-testing-question, you will know exactly where she is and this won't happen to you.

Edited to add: If you think your girl would like those that helped with the proposal to come along for a celbratory drink or dinner, than do it. You can always sneak out of the party a little earlier than the rest of the crowd to have your own special celebration.

 

[bopitaddict]

gale, sparklish,

thanks for your advice on the proposal. i did end up incorporating her friends and limited the number of places she went to and totally caught her off guard... she was truly surprised... and she did say ''yes''!

the scavenger hunt from her perspective (names have been edited to umm... protect the innocent.

):

Hi everyone!

We just want to let you know that we are engaged! On Sunday, April 10th, 2005 approximately 8

0pm central time at Navy Pier, bopitaddict romantically proposed and I said Yes! We are so happy and excited to share the news of this occasion with our friends. Below is a brief recap of the special evening for those who are interested to know on how he proposed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It all started with two letters bopitaddict gave me to read that day. There was letter #1 that I was supposed to read first and the 2nd letter to be read after 5pm (after I got off work). I had a busy and bad day at work so I never had a chance to read the letter until later. Actually, bopitaddict had stopped by my work to bring me some calalily flowers to cheer me up from my day. How sweet! He also asked me if I read the letter yet. **dohp** No I forgot, but would read it in a bit because I wanted to show him our duplex model apartment at work so that we could get paint color ideas from the model as to what colors to paint our place. But we had to be quick because he said he needed to go home to meet with one of our friend, Friend1 who was going to borrow Dog1 (Friend2''s German Shepherd) for the afternoon (we’ve been puppy sitting).

After the tour, we headed to the garage where he parked. He reminded me to read the letters after he left. But told me to read the letters before I started my car. So I opened the letters and read them. The first thing I saw when I opened the first letter was a picture of my Hello Kitty and Puppy (stuffed animals) blindfolded and tied up. They''d been kidnapped! In the letter, the kidnapper gave me instructions. At each location, I was to meet with someone and would be asked an additional question. If I answered it correctly, I would be given the next clue and sheet on where to go next. If I got the answer to the question wrong, then I would have to perform a predetermined task to get the next clue. It was a scavenger hunt!

Clue #1: If you needed to talk to someone who had a “fondness for Asian Women”, whom would you talk to? BOY1 - who is my boss''s kid. As a baby, he would get all quiet whenever he was around me. I didn''t think bopitaddict would get my boss involved so that surprised me.

Clue #2: How many different business cards have you given your current significant other? THREE - an easy question.

Next location
If someone asked us the first place we ''really'' smooched was located here, where would it be? It is SORT of the first place that pops in your mind, but it might not be somewhere else. Go there
Black couch that''s in our home now, at first I thought it was his old place, but it was on the couch at his old place.

When I got home, one of my friends was waiting for me there. We had planned on going to get some sushi for dinner. She said she came over early and bopitaddict gave her a couple of envelopes to ask me, so she said that she''d tag along and drive while I did this hunt.

Clue #3: If you needed the address of a house that used to have karaoke in the attic and the closets smelled like mothballs, what address would that be?
my old house - my mom used to fill the closets with mothballs for some reason... easy answer.

Next location
If someone were to finish off all the chicken on the plate on a first date, where would be the best place to do it?
CAFE IBERICO - I finished off a plate of chicken and I think I impressed him with my appetite.

Clue #4: What is Friend1''s, Friend3, Friend4’s Chinese name?
I guessed 1 out of 3. I got Friend1''s Chinese name, but Friend2 and Friend3''s made-up "chinese" names were a little harder. Since I answered the question wrong, I had to fulfill my predetermined task which was take a sip of Grey Goose. *yuck*

The next location:
If you looked into my eyes for the first time and notice something unique about me, where would the lighting be good enough to notice that?
Sedgewick''s - where I asked him whether he was wearing grey contacts, the first place we met.

Clue #5: I had to call our friends SanDiegoFriend1 and SanDiegoFriend2 from there.

What are the colors of the Ohio State Buckeyes?

My answer: red and white!
SanDiegoFriend1/SanDiegoFriend2 : No!
Me: red and gray!!
SanDiegoFriend1/SanDiegoFriend2 : No. It’s scarlet and gray!
Me: What?! It’s the same thing!!

For my task this time, I had to sing the OHIO STATE FIGHT SONG. I didn’t know how the song went so I tried reading it, but they wouldn’t let me off that easy so I had to sing it making up my own melody.

Next location
If someone wanted to sit on sculptures and hang out and talk for hours, where would that be? (Hint: Pop, boom, crackle, boom, boom, boom)

NAVY PIER!! One of our first dates, we walked along Navy Pier and sat at one of the sculptures out there and talked for hours.

Lo and behold, guess who waits for me at the entrance there? bopitaddict. Ok, I thought. This was my kitty and puppy’s kidnapper. Now what? I still had no idea what was going on. But we walked along the pier all the way to the back and sat on the seat of this statue by the water with the city skyline behind us. We started talking about our relationship and how we’ve come a long way. Then we put our heads together as we sat in silence to enjoy the moment. Then he says

"So, you’re probably wondering what the heck is going on…

I certainly would be if I were in your shoes.

I wanted to thank you for always being there for me. For making me laugh when I’m in a bad mood. For making faces at me when I’m being stupid. For keeping me accountable when I’m being lazy. And for helping me grow closer to God… I don’t think you realize how much you’ve helped me grow… and I hope I can reciprocate the wonders you’ve done in my life.

You ask me why I love you…

It’s because of the way you look at me when you’re happy…
It’s because of your heart, which radiates through your being…
It’s because of your kindness to friends and strangers alike…
It’s because of your selflessness, especially when it comes to me…
It’s because of your laughter, which is music to my ears…
It’s because of your silliness, which you share only for me…
It’s because of you, who is supposed to be with me forever…

I know you wanted a knight in shining armor…
I know you wanted to visit foreign lands…
I know you wanted to eat at new restaurants…
I know you wanted to try new things…

I know that I want to do all that with you…
And I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you…(he smoothly gets on one knee and pulls out a maroon jewelry box) and asks, “: Myname… will you marry me?"

I had no immediate response because I was in a state of shock. I sat there speechless and then it hit me that he really asked me to marry him and that I wasn’t dreaming! I started to giggle and shed tears of joy, and told him yes!

 

[ky6]

Holy cow!!! I have tears streaming down my face. Boppitadict- what a wonderful job you did planning your proposal! Congrats to you both.

 

[Gale]

That was fabulous! Many congratulations to the two of you. Enjoy this new and wonderful stage in your relationship.

 

[NoonersMom]

Awwww Bop......I''ve got tears rolling as well. Congrats to you & your lady love. It sounds like you are both very fortunate to have each other. Wishing you health, wealth & happiness in your days to come!

 

[MissAva]

Bopitaddict you win the hanky award. I am crying, that is soo sweet and wonderful. I am glad that your gf enjoyed the moment and that she didnt beat you to death for stealing her stuffed animals...they may need therapy you know. Congrats on your engagement. I wish you a lifetime of love. Now you must post hand pictures.

 

[Buena Girl]

Many congratulations!!! I love your scavenger hunt!

What a great idea to a have stuffed animal "kidnapping", I LOVE IT!!!!!!!