Weddingbee Blog

When I tell you about the 24 hours surrounding our engagement, you may not believe it. But I promise, every word is true.

Unless otherwise noted, all pictures from here on are personal photos.

It is October 2008, and Mr. Hermit Crab and I are heading out of town for a weekend in Alexandria Bay, NY and Ottawa, ON. I had planned this weekend months ago so that we could get away and spend some time together.

We arrive in Alexandria Bay in the Thousand Islands Region of Northern NY (4 miles from the Canadian border) at dusk. I had thought that I had found a great deal on a motel because it was nearing the off season; little did I know I was getting a great deal because we were staying in what I can only describe as the Bates Motel (or at least it seemed that way!). It was a tiny strip motel on the side of a nearly desolate road with just a tiny lock on the door handle. To this day I’m still not sure why I did this, but I looked under the bed. You can imagine my dismay when there was actually a trap door under the bed! I also can’t explain why Mr. Hermit Crab went under the bed to look in the trap door. He found a cement cell. Seriously, Hive, I can not make this up. We spent the next 15 minutes deciding whether to put our suitcase next to the door or over the trap door. We decided to use it to bar the door, but I didn’t sleep a wink that night!

(Our motel—it really was much scarier at night!)

We survived the night (whew!) and headed into Alexandria Bay to take the boat to Heart Island and visit Boldt Castle. The weather was sunny and beautiful, and we arrived on Heart Island to find the Castle quiet with few visitors. After spending an hour wandering the buildings and the gardens, we were stopped on a ledge admiring the view, and Mr. Hermit Crab looked at me and told me that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me and asked me if I would I marry him. He pulled the most gorgeous ring out to give to me. I was giggling so much and smiling, that I must have forgotten to answer, because he was prompted to say, “…So? Will you?” To which I replied, “Of course, yes!” We spent the next two hours calling our family and friends to let them know the happy news before we crossed the border into Canada for the rest of the weekend. Little did I know though, that I was the last to know! Mr. Hermit Crab had called both of my parents to ask their permission, and everyone was just waiting for the call!

(The Heart garden that we just happened to get engaged right in front of on Heart Island!)

(The first picture of I took of my hand with my ring on it - good thing I got a manicure! More on the ring to come).

Moments after we got engaged and before we started making calls!

So we were finished making calls, and we began the journey to Ottawa for the weekend. If I can give you one piece of advice, it’s go away right after you get engaged and let everyone know—preferably to a place where your phones don’t work so well! We enjoyed a quiet weekend away just enjoying being engaged before we returned to the States and the planning frenzy began.

We arrived in Ottawa to a beautiful hotel right in the city, and spent a few hours wandering the area near where we were staying. We didn’t have too much time though, because my brother-in-law was in town on tour as the bassist for Alice Cooper, and we were going to the show.

With my brother-in-law, CG, backstage at the show

When we got to the venue, we were taken on tour backstage, and then spent the next few hours hanging out with the band on the tour bus. It was by far the coolest bus I have ever been on, and everyone was so nice to us (not to mention being congratulated on our engagement over and over!). That would have been enough, but there was one more thing in store for us… we were part of the show! During the encore, we were invited to carry signs across the stage and back again while Alice Cooper was performing. It was such a trip! After the show, we hung out with CG, Alice and the band before heading back to our hotel.

View from backstage

With Alice Cooper after the show

We looked at each other (and I snuck a peek at my new ring), and we almost couldn’t believe what a day it had been! From surviving a motel with a trap door, to getting engaged on Heart Island at Boldt Castle, to escaping to Ottawa, to spending the evening backstage and Onstage at the Alice Cooper show, and finally being congratulated on our engagement by Alice himself, it was a day that neither of us would soon forget! The rest of the weekend in Ottawa was wonderful as we explored the city, and just enjoyed being together and newly engaged!

The Hermit Crabs enjoying Ottawa!

What was your engagement like? Has reality ever been crazier that fiction for you, too?