An Upstate NY Christmas proposal idea

[Ian0219]

I have been trying to figure out a way to propose to my girlfriend and I might have caught a little luck. We live in central NY and there is a town called Skaneateles nearby on one of the Finger Lakes. It is a beautiful village with nice shops and restaurants. Every winter the village hosts a Charles Dickens festival. On the weekends in December actors dress up as Dickens characters. They act out scenes in the street and interact with bystanders. Alicia read about it opening next weekend and suggested we should go to it this year. I think it would be a lot of fun.

There are a couple ideas for proposing...

So on the 23rd we could go and enjoy the fun in the village and do some window shoping and such. There is a park on the lake in town with a gazebo that gets decorated for Christmas. We stroll around the park and when we check out the Christmas tree in the gazebo I would get down on one knee and propose. Then, surprise, I have dinner and room reservations at a B&B adjacent to the park(http://www.thesherwoodinn.com/about/photogallery.html or, a little more us and right next door, http://www.packwoodhouse.com/about.htm).

OR...

On our way to Skaneateles the is a beautiful waterfall (http://www.nyfalls.com/carpenter.html). My step father is a waterfall fanatic so I could say "Tim said we should stop to see the falls on the way." We are the outdoorsy type so I don''t think that would strike her as odd. We walk in to the bottom/top and I propose to her there. We go enjoy our day in Skaneateles and I have those surprise dinner and room reservations at the B&B.

The best part of this is that either way I don''t think she will suspect the proposal until that moment. Especially since it was partially her idea to go to Skaneateles.

Any preferences, opinions, or ideas?

 

[wen104]

Ow you are good man, am I ever jealous. Being from upstate NY myself I find that so romantic. Ok I think I like the first one only because maybe climbing down/up the falls could be dangerous at that time of the year and you don''t really want to get hurt during your big moment right! I would go for the first one plus maybe you could get on lookers to take pictures so you can remember that special moment even more! The waterfall is great also, what a hard decision. Either way I would love to go to that festival too! I think either way you go here is great and she will be surprised!

 

[Ian0219]

I agree, the first is a little more appropriate for the season. It also make more sence b/c we will be dressed to walk around the village and not to hike. Since we would be going to dinner and staying at the B&B I would have to secretly pack an overnight bag for us. The Inn has a nice pub in it as well and I thought it would be fun to invite close friends and our parents to meet us there after dinner as a little celebration. I''m worried that something might slip though. Perhaps that is too much to plan in secrecy.

 

[wen104]

No I don''t think so just make sure the family you are inviting know that this is a surprise and not to say anything. I would also pack the bag with minimal stuff for the evening. Don''t make it harder then it is and if she thinks your only going for the day then there shouldn''t be a reason for her to look in the trunk right. Well maybe not but if your family is going to meet you there that night could you have them bring your bags so that she doesn''t see them in the car. If you cannot get away with that maybe just do the dinner and don''t get a room. That could be an option and then after dinner you can all leave. Hmmm so many ideas!

 

[Ian0219]

This is the gazebo in the park across from the B&B... Let''s hope for some snow!

 

[HollyS]

You are a gem of a guy, and she will be very fortunate to marry you!

Either choice is wonderful on the proposal; however, I do lean a little more toward the gazebo with the Christmas lights and the tree - - very romantic!

Be sure and come back and let us know how everything worked out.

 

[Ian0219]

So I booked a room at the B&B across from the park (The Packwood). Our third floor suite has a balcony that over looks the lake and the gazebo in the park (thought that was nice). The 23rd is the date!! That over three weeks... I may go crazy with the wait. I mentioned to Alicia last night that we should go enjoy the Dickens Festival right near Christmas, it should be at it''s best then. Her responce was priceless; "As long as our christmas shopping is done." I tried to keep my snickering to a minimum. The ring (https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/i-have-a-diamond%E2%80%A6-and-a-story-to-go-with-it.72568/) will be in next week and I will have to find a safe place to hide it. Hopefully in that time period before the proposal I can get insurance out of the way.

 

[wen104]

Well see you did sooooo good and she will be really surprised. You are so sweet, I am sure she will be excited to say yes! Also I remember the ring post and the story. She will love the POH you picked out and remember we want pictures! Good luck and Merry Christmas!

 

[iwannaprettyone]

Date: 11/27/2007 3:32:05 PM
Author: Ian0219
This is the gazebo in the park across from the B&B... Let''s hope for some snow!

Absolutley dreamy!

Good luck!

 

[Ian0219]

I couldn''t help myself... check this out!

 

[HollyS]

Date: 11/28/2007 10:42:12 AM
Author: Ian0219
I couldn''t help myself... check this out!

You so remind me of my Dave . . . he gets such a big kick out of being romantic and planning the sweetest things for me.

Everything will be lovely, because you so obviously love her. Enjoy!

 

[Ian0219]

I picked up the ring yesterday!

However the box is kinda too big to have in my pocket all day in town. I think it''ll be quite noticable.

I think I''ll need to find another smaller box.

 

[HollyS]

Ask your jeweler if they have any fabric drawstring pouches available. Perfect fit for your pocket, and she won''t notice it.

 

[rainydaze]

you are one sweet guy! the location is beyond romantic (save those pictures, that last one especially might be nice framed!), the overnight plans and dinner with friends and family are wonderful touches, and the ring sounds beautiful! she''s one lucky gal! best wishes for the proposal, and like many here i''ll be looking for the followup!

 

[Ian0219]

OOHH NNOOOOOOOOOO!!! I just talked to my SO. She just picked up the mail and there was something from the jeweler addressed to me.

I didn''t ask her to elaborate or freak or anything. I played it off and said "it''s too bad we set a low limit on Christmas this year, huh? I REALLY REALLY hope it was just one of the pamphlet advertisement mailer thinngs.

How does a guy explain that one? She works with a woman who I am sure said something about a ring. YIKES!

 

[sandia_rose]

Date: 12/14/2007 2:31:13 PM
Author: Ian0219
OOHH NNOOOOOOOOOO!!! I just talked to my SO. She just picked up the mail and there was something from the jeweler addressed to me.

I didn''t ask her to elaborate or freak or anything. I played it off and said ''it''s too bad we set a low limit on Christmas this year, huh? I REALLY REALLY hope it was just one of the pamphlet advertisement mailer thinngs.

How does a guy explain that one? She works with a woman who I am sure said something about a ring. YIKES!

Whoops! If I were you, I''d call the jeweler and ask them what they sent. If it''s a chain jeweler, their salespeople know what all the current promotions are. Even a single-site jeweler...they know what they send out. But, if you just bought an engagement ring, the store should be intellegent enough NOT to tip off your fiancee with a mailer. I know that when my friend''s boyfriend bought her ring, he told the store to NOT send anything to the house and to send the payment notices to his workplace instead, since they lived together, the ring was a surprise, and as the person who kept track of the house finances, she would open the utility bills, mortgage, and anything that looked like a bill.

Just to help you get perspective, this time of year, EVERY STORE sends out TONS of sales-y stuff. I have gotten postcards from at least five chain jewelers in the last month...and it''s been a while since I bought anything from a jeweler.

I think you''re in the clear. Don''t worry about it

. My boyfriend''s gotten postcards and stuff from jewelers, too, and I''m not expecting a ring (though one would be nice!). He likes to buy add-a-pearls for his best friend''s pre-teen daughters, and because he buys at least 4 pearls a year for the girls, he''s on every jewelery list in town!

Bridget in Connecticut.

 

[Ian0219]

I went into the store on Friday and found out it was a mix up and my statement was sent out!

I freaked a bit. So it was a white envelope addressed to me. I think I dodged a bullet though. I told Alicia I had ordered something from them as a stocking stuffer and that I hadn''t broken our low spending limit for each other. I''m sure it has given it away a little but at least she wasn''t like "So what did you get me

?"

 

[gwendolyn]

Ahh, my good man, I think this situation is for the best! Now she''s all excited and full of anticipation, and if she''s anything like me or any of my girlfriends, is driving herself nuts going back and forth trying to figure out the clues for and against the possibility that you might propose! That will make the moment that much more exciting, because she''ll have been trying to figure it out beforehand without actually knowing what''s going on!!

If you were evil, you could have a lot of fun leading her astray and then back again until you actually propose...

 

[Ian0219]

gwendolyn, That would be simply evil. I have and will try to resist the strong urge to tease her...

that is not the first time the thought has occured to me. Besides, when I do propose I want an ecstatic positive answer. I wouldn''t want her to choose that moment or soon thereafter as an opportunity for teasing revenge.

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 12/18/2007 9:22:22 AM
Author: Ian0219
gwendolyn, That would be simply evil. I have and will try to resist the strong urge to tease her...

that is not the first time the thought has occured to me. Besides, when I do propose I want an ecstatic positive answer. I wouldn''t want her to choose that moment or soon thereafter as an opportunity for teasing revenge.

Hahahah! You are a smart man; if my boyfriend teased me, I would no doubt tease him back in that fashion. Considering the smarts you got, you will be absolutely fine.

 

[Ian0219]

It seems that I need to endure some trials and tribulations for this proposal... Now the weather has decided to throw a curve. RAIN, RAIN, RAIN!! Sunday, THE day, it''s supposed to rain. It''s December it is supposed to snow as it has the last week or two! What''s that saying about the best laid plans...

 

[Ian0219]

I''m engaged!!!

Alicia and I went to the festival in Skaneateles as planned. While she showered and got ready that morning I finished packing clothes and things we would need for the surprise dinner and such. She never saw or suspected anything. Once in Skaneateles, we shopped and walked around and enjoyed a funny magic show. The weather turned horrible but we didn''t mind and kept window shopping and such in the rain and wind. She started asking "What do you want to do for dinner?" and "What do you want to do later?" and I kept on replying with the indecisive "I don''t know." We went to move the car from temp parking before "going to dinner" and I parked up the street from the gazebo such that we would walk past it on our way "to dinner." We walked up to look at the ornaments on the tree in the middle of the gazebo. It was raining and the wind was blowing and the lake had crazy swells that were crashing on the wall near the gazebo. I set our coffees aside and got down on one knee. She giggled and right there in front of the christmas tree I proposed. Soon thereafter I revealed the dinner and overnight plans and that I had packed for the occasion.

Thanks so much pricescope, you have been a wonderful help. I will try to post pictures on SMTR as soon as I can get some good ones.

 

[HollyS]

I''m sorry the weather did not cooperate with your plans, but delighted that you didn''t let it deter you!

Congratulations, and please post pictures as soon as they''re available.

 

[gwendolyn]

Yay, Ian, great job! I too am very glad you didn''t let the weather throw you off course! CONGRATS!!!!

 

[evolve]

congrats! You have given me more food for thoughts.