My girlfriend and I celebrated our 10-year anniversary on February 20th, 2009. And I planned to make this day more memorable than the 1st day we committed to each other (@ 17 years old). Now for someone who has shared a life with you already, how can that even be possible? This was my mission!
Right before the new year of 2008, I had decided that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. So, what does one do when they have this epiphany? Unfortunately, throughout our relationship, I had always told my girlfriend that “if” I were to propose, my proposal would knock her off her feet. And as the years past, the conversation would come up in passing (she in no way pressured me, it was honestly natural conversation) of how would I do it? I being the on the feet creator I am, would come up with ideas, that once I shared it with her she would love it, but obviously now I couldn’t use it.
One idea I had was where we would be going to a bank (@ the time she was working for Citibank), to make a deposit. While standing in line I would casually show that I was going to deposit a sizeable amount of money. This would then lead to a conversation, where I would talk about the importance of life, building one’s future is important and putting this money into the bank helps to place stability around that idea. When we get to the teller and I deposit the money, she would hand us back the slip, where it has both of our names on the account. It is at that time I would get down on 1 knee and propose. While all this time, our family would be patrons of the bank, kept out of her direct line of sight but there to share in the moment. She loved it, but *snap I couldn’t use it!
Now, I wont go through all the ideas I had, but with 10 years under my belt and her standing by my side, never pressuring me to propose, she deserved all I had in the creative tank. I went to the calendar to plan when I was going to execute and being that our 9-year anniversary was coming up soon, it would be easy to fulfill my excitement and do it on that day. But my excitement took a back seat to her fantasies. She always told me that she never cared how we got married or ended up together, but what she felt was more special than anything was how she was proposed to. Challenge accepted!
February 20th, 2008 fell on a Thursday, which would not be conducive to adequate celebrations being that we both work. February 20th, 2009 falls on a Friday and is our 10-year anniversary. This then became the focus of my plan. Center her proposal around a day we have always held special in our hearts. After deciding that I will propose in over year, this allowed me just enough time to prepare the most unique moment I have ever been a part of.
To give you an idea of some of the planning that was involved. Other than keeping this secret from everyone in my life (no one knew, because my plan was predicated on complete surprise – engagements that are surprises have always been a favorite), I had to coordinate all the pieces myself, determining exactly how I wanted each moment to play out. I only informed people who needed to know (exactly a list of 10) and only when they needed to know. My mother knew approximately 4-6 months prior to the event. I had her ring designed to my specifications, chose the venues and items involved…everything was on my shoulders to not disappoint.
My girlfriend loves these small (3”) string dolls made by Kamibashi. I contacted the manufacturer and with her guidance, designed a large (12”) version – never before sold doll. This was custom made for me and I had it shipped directly from Thailand. I also coordinated with the W Court – Hotel (we love this hotel, stay many times throughout the year and have only received the best service) to my plans and what I needed them to do.
Flash back to mid-2008, when I gave my girlfriend a Tiffany charm bracelet for her birthday/law graduation. I used this as a base for subsequent charms to come that would then lead to the mother of all charms. I followed the titanium heart, with a pink sapphire heart charm for Christmas. And then for our anniversary, I gave her a Tiffany 1837 Padlock watch charm that I set to 10o’clock to represent our 10 years together (this was to throw her off to any suspicion, if she had one).
Fast-forward to February 20th, 2009 and we are walking into the W Court Hotel. The person, who is checking us in, tells us that our room is not ready but because of the delay on our anniversary, they can upgrade us to a suite for the inconvenience. The only caveat is that, the suite wont be ready for 1 hour. Sounds like a sweet deal, all we have to do is keep busy for an hour…how about a walk around Manhattan while I take pictures (something I love to do, not out of the ordinary). We happen to walk to Madison Square Park, where NYU students approach us about a game show called Street Smarts…
The box in the video had within it the last charm in this plan, a Tiffany Blue Box. The card in the video was a save the date card (designed online) for our wedding February 20th, 2010 (this is our actual planned date) and on the back I wrote my speech.
Anything is possible if you have a plan, enough patience and the determination to see it through to your goal. To see her expression and have this memory (photos) for the rest of our lives makes the past 10 years worth it!
