How it all Began - My Engagement Story
Every time I meet a new couple and sit down to talk about their stationery, conversation often quickly turns to “how it all began” and the engagement story. I think that’s because these stories often reveal so much about a couple – whether it be a proposal in an exotic location or at home on the sofa … all of them are important and equally wonderful! In honour of this theme, I wanted to share my own engagement story with you all. It’s been quite a journey so let’s begin…
Early Days
David and I got together in 2000, the summer that we left High School where we met in Higher Physics. Yes, we’ve been together for a looong time but it’s not all been plain sailing, as with any relationship. There was a six-year stint of long distance – for the record, long distance sucks but we made it work. Even though we’re not the same people that we were in 2000, we still loved the people we became and have become. By 2011, David had moved back to Scotland and we were living and working in Edinburgh. We both love being outdoors and in August 2012, we packed up his VW Golf (GTi) with our mountain bikes and kit and set off on a 10-day road trip.
Adventure awaits!
We ventured to Laggan Wolftrax on the first evening for a spin round the trails, and as a warm up for our excursion into the wilderness the following day. We rode the Ardverikie Estate trail – you ride past the house that doubles as Glenbogle in TV’s Monarch of the Glen – and what a great ride! Then we headed north to Thurso – via Dunnet’s Head of course to see the most northerly point in the UK, before boarding the ferry for Orkney from Scrabster.
The weather was so wild that we nearly didn’t go and I was REALLY apprehensive. I’m not the best traveller on a good day let along when there are gale force winds and sideways rain! But onto the ferry we did go and that was a story in itself with comedy moments I’ll never forget – the ferry tilting the instant that we left the safety of the harbour, causing everything, including me and my chair, to slide across the floor and fall over. Lots of smashing of glasses accompanied this and I had to laugh. It was rough! Or ‘a wee bit choppy’ as David put it, as the ferry rolled 45º to the horizon.
All at Sea
Perhaps unsurprisingly, our ferry journey took us twice as long after losing the power to one engine and needing to circle Scapa Flow until another ferry could push us into Stromness Harbour. We finally arrived at our B&B in Dounby and the owners were just amazing. They made us an evening snack to warm us up – it was wild!!
The next day was much calmer and we ventured out around the island on our bikes, first to Maeshowe Chambered Cairn, then to the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar. When we got to Skara Brae, we walked around the exhibition and the prehistoric village before wandering back toward the visitor centre. It was at this time that David became oddly fixated on the beach of the Bay of Skaill. He kept encouraging me to go and sit on the beach but I was getting hangry so had other ideas. He responded with: “We’ll go some food and then go to the beach. Okay?’
The Proposal
I was slightly baffled at his sudden obsession with the beach. It was cold and windy, and I couldn’t imagine why he would want to sit there! But, post-food, we kept to our word and went to sit on the beach. It was actually pretty sheltered off the dune on the sand, so I got my camera out and starting taking photos – the view, the curve of the bay and the little piles of stones other visitors had built that looked like mini cairns. I then took a photo of David and the conversation went like this:
A: You’ve got your thinking face on. What are you thinking?
D: I’m thinking about your bike.
A (to myself): Great. We’re sitting in this beautiful place and all you can think about is bikes.
A (out loud & slightly perplexed): O-kay. What about my bike?
D: It’s looking a bit tatty.
A: O-kay (with eye-roll)
D: In particular the lock-rings for your grips. So I got you some new ones.
He held out his hand and gave me two red lock-rings – my favourite colour – with the words ‘Marry me?’ inscribed on them. I was dumb struck and all I could do was smile and laugh … with joy and surprise! I never thought David would surprise me with a proposal because I always thought I’d know … but he really pulled it off!
D: It is a question, you know?
A: Yes!
D: And it’s not in Comic Sans either! You’d have said ‘no’ if it was, wouldn’t you?
A: Yes.
It was clear that quite a lot of thought had gone into it all. David had custom ordered the lock-rings from Lizard Skins and had then been sitting on them, looking for the right time. It turns out that every time he’d planned to propose, we’d either not done what we were planning or someone else had come along, generally for a bike ride. So, taking me to Orkney, he figured this was his chance. And it was. And I smile every time I think about it.
I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing it too! If you’d like to celebrate your own story with some lovely customised wedding stationery from Origami Fox, contact me today.