What is your proposal story?
Something I always had in mind was the castle near Munich (Neuschwanstein). I had already visited it years before with friends, before meeting my girlfriend, and it just clicked 100% for my proposal plan—it's a real-life Disney destination, like being in a storybook. It was always on my top list of places to do it. Once, during a trip to Disneyland very early in our relationship, She told me she'd like to go to that castle, but since I'd already been, then she preferred to prioritize other places when we had the opportunity to go to Europe together for the first time. By then I had to start looking for other options to propose or just keep waiting… I did have other options in mind, but for me, none of them beat the castle.
After our first trip one of her best friends was getting married and we were going to Europe again. Her friend's wedding in Toledo is coming up, and we're planning to arrive a week early. We have a few days to do some sightseeing on our own, and that's where the opportunity to go to the castle arises. And the truth is, there was nothing left to think about; the decision had been made, the perfect moment presented itself, and all that was left was to plan everything. True to my style, I was sure I could have everything ready before the trip, even though I let several months go by without finalizing any details.
Probably like many men, I didn't know much about rings and all the variety, details, and all that. I'm not one for accessories. So I started reading a little online; obviously, there was so much information, and at times, I still felt lost. I decided to consult with married/engaged friends who could clear my mind, which I did find useful, and I'm very grateful for it. Finally, with a more concrete idea in mind, I went with my instinct, and got the ring that matched everything: Elena, the place, and the story.
The final touch was to have everything ready to capture the moment. Fortunately, that was something I was able to fix quickly. I found a photography network that listed the cities they were going to visit and contacted a photographer who was very well-reviewed, and after discussing it a couple of times, she finally accepted the job. She gave me a couple of recommendations about the location and the people, and we decided to use her as a tourist/guide who would join our tour.
Finally, on the big day, everything went well, although we both had issues with our outfits for the visit to the castle. The weather was good, we arrived early, and the place was almost empty. From the drive, you felt like you were in a fairy tale; the place really is incredible.
We began to climb the mountain to reach the castle and beyond. I was worried that my girlfriend wouldn't want to do the second half of the hike, where it was all dirt and rocks, and she might ask me to turn back. All this while I was carrying the box with the ring between my belt and jacket, barely holding it, hiding it as best I could because I hadn't brought a backpack with me.
We arrived at the spot, the plan was executed and she said YES!
