Engagements

Groom: Chris Van Blerk
Bride: Diane Connick
Wedding date: 24 September 2009
Wedding venue: Moon & Sixpence

Proposal details: I booked a couples valentines pamper morning at a local spa, and he popped the question after the full body hot stone massage... in his Speedo!
He got down on one knee, with the most beautiful and unusual ring and asked me to make him the happiest man in the world and marry him.
Although I was in shock, I said yes without a second thought.

It wasn't the most romantic proposal, but it was original and from the heart and I'll never forget that moment as long as I live.

Groom: Ashley Boltney
Bride: Jody Schaeffers
Wedding date: 26 March 2011
Wedding venue: TBC

Proposal details: It was a wonderful Saturday evening on the 14th February 2009. We went to Schoongezicht Restaurant with a few friends.

The restaurant was so beautifully decorated and the food was great which means that the place was packed with people... after all it was Valentines Day.

Everyone (including my parents) knew he was going to propose except me. As usual I was left in the dark.

Later the evening Ash disappeared and when he returned I was caught up in such a deep conversation with Tasneem and when I turned around to look at him.... there he was on one knee with this breath-taking ring in his hand and he popped the big question...:-)

First thing I asked was..... "Does my mother know?" :-)

Groom: Brandon Summerford
Bride: Jeanine Burger
Wedding date: 2 October 2010
Wedding venue: Meerendal Wine Estate

Proposal details: Brandon and I both absolutely love the
Natal Midlands and I always said that
it would be the perfect place to get
engaged.
He planned for us to go away for the weekend and stay at a little hotel called Hebron Haven. We had stayed there before with friends and both of us loved it.
On Friday he collected me from work and we drove through, but we drove past the turnoff and when i asked him why he said that he was taking the long way around.
Eventually we ended up at the Nottingham Road Hotel. It took me completely by surprise as I was expecting Hebron Haven. On the Saturday he had arranged for me to have a entire day of Spa treatments. I was very shocked and just cried as he had never surprised me like this before. On Sunday 25 January he had room service delivered to our room. After we had eaten breakfast he asked me what I would have done to make the weekend even more special and I said that I wouldnt have done anything as it was perfect. So he asked me again what I would have done and I just said that it would have been nice if we had gotten engaged, because the place was so special to both of us. He then asked me what I would do if he asked me to marry him and I said that obviously I would say yes. With that said, he took the ring out of his pocket and slipped it onto my finger.
It was a wonderful weekend full of surpries spent with my wonderful (now) fiance!!

Groom: Gavin de Souza
Bride: Cara Visagie
Wedding date: 21 November 2009
Wedding venue: Green Leaves Country Estate

Proposal details: Gavin took me to Kloppenheim Country Estate for my birthday. We arrived at Kloppenheim and had lunch, after that he organised a surprise Indian Head Massage in the health Spa. When we were finished he went to our room while I had another surprise, a very nice and relaxing facial. After my facial I went up to our room and we just relaxed the whole afternoon. By 5 that afternoon Gavin said we must get all our things out of the room because there is another surprise, he planned a Swedish Full Body Couples Massage for us. I was in Heaven... After that Gavin handed in our room key and told me to get into the car, I did not know what was going on but went along with it, he then drove us to the Presidential Suite, WOW!!! When I opened the door there were rose petals all over the floor and candles eveywhere, even the bed was covered with my favourite chocolate... He even organised non alcoholic champaigne which we opened and drank while we watched rugby (not so romantic). Around 8 we went for dinner. Arriving at the hotel the hostess informed us that the restaurant was full and that they had to place us in the bar area, I was not too impressed but went along with it again. What turned out not to be the bar was infact the wine cellar that they made so beautiful for us with flowers everywhere and candles and a stunning table for our romantic dinner. This was really the best birthday ever... Anyway, every now and then one of the staff would come in to ask if everything was okay and then suddenly Gavin asked the waiter to take a few photos of us and then the next moment Gavin was down on one knee and took out a small box with the ring in it that I so badly wanted... After the shock was over he then asked me to be his wife and I said YES!!!

Groom: Daniel
Bride: Cindy
Wedding date: 15 December 2010
Wedding venue: Makiti

Proposal details: Was a very early valentines morning,flower petals,roses and awesome breakfast all in the lovely comfort of our home.He said his lil speech and asked me to close my eyes,called out my full name and asked if i would marry him,upon opening my eyes i saw the man of my dreams on his bended knee with a beautiful ring in his hand with a wonderful nervous smile on his face and i was sold.

Groom: Colin
Bride: Janet
Wedding date: 13 June 2009
Wedding venue: Riverside Castle, Pta East

Proposal details: On the 18th of May last year, my day started like any other day at work.

My boss then told me that his son will be arriving at our offices with his friend and his friend's father in a helicopter at 3pm and would I mind going to take photographs of him as they arrive (they had incidentally organized that I bring in my camera to take photos of the staff for our headoffice). So at 2:50 I proceeded down to the helipad where I was expecting my boss' son to arrive and, much to my dismay, my boyfriend Colin Fleming jumps out of the chopper! Oh WOW - what's going on? A friend of mine had joined me at the helipad to bring me my handbag and in 2 minutes we were airborne. I still thought we were just going on a scenic trip around Jhb and that I would be ped off again at my office. But nope - the flight proceeded over to the West Rand and a "fly by" over my parents' house where they were waiting and waving at us in their garden?! We then proceeded over the South of Joburg, Sandton and then over to Midrand.

Colin then asked me where we were and I replied that we must be in Kyalami somewhere as "there's The Castle". We circled the Castle a few times and then landed!!! Oh WOW - we're staying here??? As Colin pulled out our overnight bag from the back of the chopper the excitement inside me stirred and we were met by the Castle's wedding co-ordinator, Devon, who drove us up to the reception. We followed Devon up the stairs past the main reception and she showed us the way to the Master Suite, opened the door for us, let us in and closed the door behind us and she disappeared!!!!!

The suite was the most beautiful suite I'd seen (let alone been in). Everything was magnificent, the four poster bed, the marble bathroom, the sun room, everything was exquisite. There were bunches of my favourite flowers everywhere.

Colin suggested we go to the roof and I didn't really want to as I wanted to watch the sunset. He advised that I'd get a much better view from the roof (surely!). We went up to the roof and over in the far corner we had an ice bucket with a bottle of bubbly and two glasses! I was a bit stressed that Colin just started opening the bottle - how sure was he that it was in fact our bubbly! I relaxed after my first sip and then before I knew it, he was saying how much he loved me and wanted to spend the rest of his life with me and he was on ONE KNEE putting the ring on my finger! Oh my gosh - I just burst into tears of joy and accepted straight away! It was the most romantic thing he could've done for me. We then carried on drinking our bubbly and watched the rest of the sunset.

We went back to our room and at approximately 7pm we were to go down for dinner. When we arrived I had seen where the restaurant area was, but we went straight past that area and into a private room! There were candles, soft music playing and rose petals everywhere!! The food and personal service was exceptional and I felt like royalty.

We went back to our room where some ladies met us with baskets of rose petals for our jacuzzi bath… the rest of the evening is history, but the beginning of our future together.

The thought that Colin put into planning this event is incredible. He had planned everything 3 months before with my family, friends and all my colleagues at work. He even took the day off work that day and had watched me getting ready for work and everything I touched, he had packed for me for the overnight bag. My sister also arrived at our house shortly after I left for work to help him pack clothes for me for the evening dinner and for a breakfast the next morning which my sister and her boyfriend joined us for (and they had to pick us up to get our car at Rand Airport). Everything was thought of - there was not one glitch and I wouldn't have changed anything!

That was the night our lives together changed and we're looking forward to starting our future together as a married couple. I can't wait!!!