Valentine's Day is fast approaching and this got me thinking about proposals. I read an article last week about this particular subject and how women expect more from a proposal these days, apparently just getting down on one knee and producing a ring just wont cut it anymore. No siree, women these days want flash mob proposals, romantic weekends away, popping the question at the top of the Empire State building or at the bottom of the Great Barrier Reef. But is a planned proposal really as romantic as we think?
Poor Mike in FRIENDS was desperate to ask for Phoebe's hand in marriage (and yes this scenario does count as we all know FRIENDS was real!) and planned his proposal to perfection, although it didn't go to well. His idea to propose at the big game goes pear shaped when Phoebe comments how lame that is. Mike's next attempt, by hiding the ring in the dessert after a meal also goes wrong when Phoebe guesses it's in there. Then her attempt at proposing at the ball game is a non starter when the crowd start booing her. 'Boo me, Boo you!' Gotta love Pheebs.
So really, what Mike should've done is just got down on one knee and asked her to marry him without all the shenanigans (but might not have been as funny to watch).
Not all planned proposals go wrong and sometimes they happen at the most bizarre places, like at the end of a Pantomime...picture the scene, we've just spent nearly two hours laughing at the stupidity of the Christmas Panto and we're nearing the end, just before Cinderella marries the prince and there is a bit of audience participation going on.
The actor playing Buttons calls out the name of a man and a woman, to come and join him on stage. This couple happen to be sitting in the back row so as it takes them a fair amount of time to get to the stage, excitement mounts in the audience. What possible reason could they have to get on stage other than to ask 'The Question.'
So as the couple stand on stage in between Buttons and joined by an ugly sister, the gentleman does indeed do the deed and asks the fair maiden to marry him. Did she say yes? Oh yes she did!! The audience erupted in cheers.
I thought it was really romantic, my sister-in-law on the other hand thought it was really cheesy. Probably why I write romance novels and she doesn't.
Now, whilst I subscribe to the school of thought that 'planned' proposals are romantic and the writer in me defiantly gets more mileage in a plot out of the big 'marry me' scenes another part of me thinks the spur of the moment proposals might just win.
Surely, this type of proposal is more passionate? That moment when you realize there and then that you can't live without the person in front of you. So although there might not be a brass band playing, members of the general public bursting into song,a plane flying overhead with a banner saying 'will you marry me?' It's the most perfect moment you could imagine.
So maybe that moment when you get caught in the rain and you're both running to get in doors or the minute where you are laughing so hard together, that the tears are streaming down your face, or you're both singing out of tune to the same song on the radio, or you've just had the most amazing sex session...THAT moment when the only words that make any sense are 'Will you marry me?'
I'd take that over a flash mob any day!
Poor Mike in FRIENDS was desperate to ask for Phoebe's hand in marriage (and yes this scenario does count as we all know FRIENDS was real!) and planned his proposal to perfection, although it didn't go to well. His idea to propose at the big game goes pear shaped when Phoebe comments how lame that is. Mike's next attempt, by hiding the ring in the dessert after a meal also goes wrong when Phoebe guesses it's in there. Then her attempt at proposing at the ball game is a non starter when the crowd start booing her. 'Boo me, Boo you!' Gotta love Pheebs.
So really, what Mike should've done is just got down on one knee and asked her to marry him without all the shenanigans (but might not have been as funny to watch).
Not all planned proposals go wrong and sometimes they happen at the most bizarre places, like at the end of a Pantomime...picture the scene, we've just spent nearly two hours laughing at the stupidity of the Christmas Panto and we're nearing the end, just before Cinderella marries the prince and there is a bit of audience participation going on.
The actor playing Buttons calls out the name of a man and a woman, to come and join him on stage. This couple happen to be sitting in the back row so as it takes them a fair amount of time to get to the stage, excitement mounts in the audience. What possible reason could they have to get on stage other than to ask 'The Question.'
So as the couple stand on stage in between Buttons and joined by an ugly sister, the gentleman does indeed do the deed and asks the fair maiden to marry him. Did she say yes? Oh yes she did!! The audience erupted in cheers.
I thought it was really romantic, my sister-in-law on the other hand thought it was really cheesy. Probably why I write romance novels and she doesn't.
Now, whilst I subscribe to the school of thought that 'planned' proposals are romantic and the writer in me defiantly gets more mileage in a plot out of the big 'marry me' scenes another part of me thinks the spur of the moment proposals might just win.
Surely, this type of proposal is more passionate? That moment when you realize there and then that you can't live without the person in front of you. So although there might not be a brass band playing, members of the general public bursting into song,a plane flying overhead with a banner saying 'will you marry me?' It's the most perfect moment you could imagine.
So maybe that moment when you get caught in the rain and you're both running to get in doors or the minute where you are laughing so hard together, that the tears are streaming down your face, or you're both singing out of tune to the same song on the radio, or you've just had the most amazing sex session...THAT moment when the only words that make any sense are 'Will you marry me?'
I'd take that over a flash mob any day!