Weddingbee Blog

My fiance is a true romantic. He’s performed a number of these acts of romance over the years. Two particularly stand out and both end with me receiving a ring!

After we had been dating for about three or four months, things had gotten serious and we both knew we were truly in love. One weeknight he called me and said he really wanted to see me. He came to my apartment and gave me a rose. Sitting on the rosebud was a star sapphire ring. He explained that his father had gotten a star sapphire ring for himself when he knew he was in love with my fiance’s mother. He told me that because he knew how much he loved me that he had started to wear his father’s ring. Now we had a matching set.

But, that ring would eventually have to be replaced. He replaced it with my beautiful engagement ring on a surprise trip to Ireland (I thought we were going to Northern California)! He took me to a Castle and Lord’s Manor for our first few days and proposed there. He had actually given me a painting (sneakily through his parents) the Christmas before the trip that now hung in our bedroom. When he proposed at the lord’s manor, he asked if anything looked familiar - it was the house in the painting! Turns out he had planned the trip for seven months and wanted to somehow share the plans with me without giving away the surprise, so he had a picture from the manor’s website made into a painting. And now we have a beautiful memory of our trip.

For me, the most romantic part of his elaborate plans is that he really planned it all with the intention of making it as special as possible for me. My grandparents were from Ireland and it has always been my favorite place to spend time. I was also able to visit some relatives throughout my trip - it was truly magical!

Brianne Whelan
Washington, DC
Engaged March 12, 2006
Getting Married October 6, 2007