Great Proposals From Real People

You may have always imagined how your proposal would be, but you never really know how it's all going to play out until your soon-to-be fiancé is on one knee asking to spend the rest of his life with you. Be it on a skating rink, a surprise vacation or in your favorite park, it's sure to take your breath away. These local brides-to-be shared with us their story of when they said "Yes." -Tiesha Miller

A Proposal on Ice

"February 18 started off as a normal day. Needless to say, it would not end that way. Ryan and I and some of our close friends had made plans to go out to dinner and ice-skating. The evening went fantastically. We were all having so much fun. The woman who was eventually my matron of honor, and who was pregnant at the time, decided to bring a video camera to capture our blissful moments on the ice, and sat the night out. It was all part of the scheme. About an hour into skating, the rink is packed and my ankles and knees are killing me. I was about to call it quits when I just so happened to look up into the bleachers to see my grandmother sitting next to my friend. By this time I knew something was going on. Our friends start lagging behind and stopped on the edge of the rink. I turn around to find Ryan collapsing onto the ice. I thought it was a real fall, and I was laughing hysterically. I was about to skate away when he asked me to help him up. I took his hand, yet he would not budge above his knees. He put his hand into his coat pocket and pulled out a little black box. My heart was racing. I do not even remember what he said other than, "Will you be my wife?" It was the most romantic moment. Everyone on the ice stopped so that we could have the moment to ourselves. Ryan then proceeded to point into the stands where there were about 10 friends and family members watching. Needless to say, I was the only clueless one there. It was a moment we will never forget!"

Stephanie Brewster, Springfield
Married Ryan White, October 21, 2006

Vacation Engagement

"Unbeknownst to me, Greg phoned my boss and made arrangements for me to take a few days of vacation the last week of April 2006. Greg told me 72 hours before the trip that we were going away for a weekend getaway and that I needed to pack a swimsuit. I thought we were driving to the Lake of the Ozarks since it had been unseasonably warm that week. Little did I know that we would soon be boarding a plane to Key West! But the surprises didn't end there.

"The hotel that Greg booked for the weekend had oversold. As a result, the Hilton upgraded us to a privately owned condominium on Sunset Key, an island resort 500 yards from the coast of Key West, for our entire stay.

"The best surprise was 24 hours later, when Greg proposed after a romantic dinner on the private beach. It was simply perfect! The rest of the weekend was spent eating the local delicacy of conch fritters, listening to Jimmy Buffet tunes on Duvall Street, deep-sea fishing and taking a late-night ocean cruise to view the Southern Cross constellation."

Amanda Wood, Springfield
Engaged to be married to Greg Kutter, June 2, 2007

Fountain Fiasco

"Ever since Jordan Valley Park opened, I have believed that whoever kissed me in the middle of the fountain, I would marry. Since the first day Adam and I worked together, I knew that there was more to him that I wanted to come to know. After a few months of getting to know each other, we knew that there was something special there. I had made sure Adam knew about the fountain, and how I felt about it. Adam and I grew even closer, and talked about marriage a lot. We knew it would happen; it was just a matter of things falling into place at the right time.

"On May 29, 2006, Adam and I decided to go to the park to enjoy the nice weather and to play around in the fountain. We sat around for a while, watching several kids play in the water. We attempted a couple of times to get in the fountain when it turned on, but there were so many kids there that day that we decided to leave. As we were walking towards the parking lot, I was swinging my arms back and forth and hit his upper leg-where his pocket was on his shorts. I felt something in his pocket and asked him what it was.

"He tried to shrug it off saying it was nothing. After my several failed attempts to find out what it was, Adam grabbed my hand, turned me around and got down on one knee. There, in the middle of my favorite park, he asked me to spend the rest of my life with him.

"I couldn't believe what was happening. It was the day I had always dreamed about. I said 'Yes' and couldn't wait to tell everyone! Thank God for camera phones! We have set our date for April 21, 2007. Although I may have ruined one of the biggest days of my life, it couldn't have been any more perfect."

Tracie Garrison, Springfield
Engaged to be married to Adam Grube, April 21, 2007

From the Heart

"I work for a local dentist in Springfield. I met my fiancé when he came to our office as a patient after being injured in Iraq serving our country. He lost his left leg above the knee and had a brain injury. He has recovered from the brain injury for the most part. He tried for a year and half to get me to go out with him to dinner. After trying for so long, he almost gave up when I decided to go. After three months of dating and spending every day together, he asked me to marry him. The night he proposed, he took me to dinner at the Olive Garden. He got down on one knee while I was away from the table. When I got back he was waiting to ask me to be his wife. Of course I said 'Yes.'

"We are now planning a wedding. He had accepted the fact that he may be alone for the rest of his life due the fact that he lost his leg. Most people have a hard time accepting differences. I never have seen it as a disability. He has one of the biggest hearts that I have ever seen. He has even brought me back into my family's lives-something my mother and father would say is a blessing from God. Our story should show other people that it is okay to be different. There is someone for everyone. It only matters what is in a person's heart."

Mary Bonnell, Springfield
Engaged to be married to Bobby Lisek, November 3, 2007