My Surprise Engagement Ring

An Engagement ring is a piece of jewelry that symbolizes a man’s commitment to a woman he asked to marry him. The ring is usually made of silver or white gold with a big diamond stone on top of it. With this piece of jewelry visible on a woman’s left-hand ring finger, it automatically means that the woman has accepted the marriage proposal and is engaged to her man who is also known as her fiancé. This is one of those moments that every girl is dreaming of.

It was March 1, 2008, our 19^th monthsary. Jeff called me from my station and asked me to go with him in the locker room. I didn’t know what for but I just followed him thinking that there was something that he wanted to tell me that he didn’t want my agents to hear.

Once we got to the locker area, Jeff handed me a box. It was a black and white box with brown steel on top of it. It looks really nice! When I opened it, I couldn’t believe my eyes, it was an engagement ring! He slipped the ring on my ring finger and asked me again “Will you marry me?” and I said YES! It was a thin ring with a tiny diamond stone on top of it that fits my ring finger perfectly well. Jeff was really clever because when we ordered our wedding rings at Suarez Wedding Rings, he asked the sales lady to take note of my ring size and ordered an engagement ring with the same ring size and I wasn’t aware of that nor even got a hint! Jeff’s really full of surprises and he always knows how to surprise me without me having a hint.

The ring itself was a surprise because I already informed him that I don’t need a pricy engagement ring, as long as it was from him that would be enough for me. I can just wear any fancy ring (even if not real silver), anyway I am not allergic to fancy jewelry. But this was too much for him to give me knowing that we were quite struggling with the wedding preparations. Still, Jeff insisted that he wanted to give me something that’s pricy and something he would be proud to see that I’m wearing. I guess he didn’t want people to say that the ring was from a Silver store in malls which means that it was affordable. Well, pricy or not, the important thing was that we were engaged and will be getting married soon. I believe that is all that matters.

Here's our pictures:

The "Pamalaye"

The common norms and practices that we have in our country when a couple decides to get married is the pamalaye (in Visayan Dialect). This is when the family of the guy goes to the house of the girl (where their parents meet) and discuss the details of the wedding. As for me, the so-called Pamalaye was held last February 8, 2008 with my lola (my father's mom) as the one who presided the event. This was the second time that our parents met face to face and they were so civilized with each other. (good thing!) Jeff and I were so nervous for fear that our parents might get into a conflict while discussing the details of the wedding just like what we see most in movies.

Decision Making

So it was planned.

January of 2008, we finally decided the date. We finally decided that August 8, 2008 would be the perfect time for us to exchange our vows. And it seemed to us that our parents were ready and open to the idea of us getting married. Even though it shocked them of the sudden announcement and even thought that I was pregnant (but happy to know that I was not) they already saw it coming and that's why they supported us with our decision. Well, Jeff asked his parents first and when he had their blessing, we both talked to my parents and he asked for my hand in marriage. We were all so emotional and my mom was crying. L She couldn’t believe that her baby girl was getting married in 7 months! It wasn’t that easy blurting the news out to them and we had to practice every single reason on what we had to say. But in the end, the words came out so easily and after ensuring them that this is what we wanted and we were ready to get married, they finally gave us their blessing. Of course, part of what we assured them was that we already have our savings and a house in the making! So who wouldn’t say that we were not preparing for it?

The Marriage Proposal

Since this blog is all about weddings, I guess it would be best to start with my own wedding. We actually went through all the natural/normal way of getting married, from marriage proposal to asking our parents, pamalaye, shower and stag party, and all the important events that every getting married couple should go through not to mention all the stress.

So let’s start off with the marriage proposal. I guess every girl would want a perfect moment wherein the guy of her life would ask her to marry