Engagement season is upon us and to celebrate we’ve rounded up some gorgeous proposal stories from our real wedding couples… get the tissues at the ready!
Ida & Lucas
Our proposal… I surprised Ida with a party. I invited her friends and family over from Germany and had everyone in place when we entered the venue. The crowd shouted “surprise” as we entered. Ida thought it was someone’s birthday until she turned around and saw me on one knee.
See Lucas & Ida’s quirky Angler’s Rest wedding captured by Aidan Oliver Photography!
Anne & Chris
Our proposal… We had talked about getting engaged for some time before Chris asked me. Any time we went somewhere nice I thought Chris was going to propose; there were lots of quiet drives home from dates that hadn’t ended with a ring! Chris wanted to surprise me so he proposed at home as he knew I wouldn’t have expected that. It was Christmas Eve and we were at home with our son Flynn, who was just over one at the time. We decided to exchange a small present and Chris told me to sit on the couch and close my eyes. When I opened them, Chris and Flynn were both down on one knee, it was adorable. I was so surprised it took me ages to answer, but of course I said yes!
See Chris & Anne’s chic Conyngham Arms wedding by Emma Russell Photography!
Amy & Shane
Our proposal… We went to London to “visit Shane’s brother and sister” for a weekend in December 2013 after I had finished exams… little did I know Shane had other plans. He arranged a whole lot of surprises for the Saturday, which was exactly 6 years after our first Epic Date. He booked tickets for the musical Once; Ice Skating; dinner in a fancy restaurant; and booked us into a beautiful hotel… he even roped his brother Ross into transferring our luggage across London and checking us into the hotel so we just had to arrive and open the Champagne! Luckily he decided against proposing at the ice rink (it turned out he wasn’t a very good ice skater!), and instead he got down on one knee in Hyde Park beside the Serpentine Lake… it was a funny coincidence that our hotel room was called The Serpentine.
See Amy & Shane’s beautiful Bellingham Castle celebrations by Insight Photography!
Laura & Moe
Our proposal… Moe surprised me with a very romantic proposal at the Trevi Fountain in Rome at midnight. We had gone to Rome to see my favourite band The National play, and it was that night after the gig that he proposed with the most beautiful diamond solitaire engagement ring. He had it specially made and kept it a secret for months before. It came out of the blue as we were only together a year and a half but when you know, you know!
See Laura & Moe’s beautiful BrookLodge wedding by Couple Photography!
Merrill & Garrett
Our proposal… on a snowy night in December, Garrett proposed at the Taj Hotel in a room full of red roses, after dinner at our favourite restaurant. He had already arranged for my family to meet us for brunch there the following morning to celebrate.
See Merrill & Garrett’s intimate destination wedding at Mount Juliet by Eden Photography!
Maeve & Dylan
Our proposal… We got engaged on Sunday the 1st December 2013 in our apartment, after seven years together. As usual Dylan was up before me on this Sunday morning, so when I finally woke and went into the kitchen, Dylan asked me if I wanted to go shopping. Thinking that he was talking about doing the grocery shop I wasn’t too enthusiastic and tried to think of a reason we could put it off. Then Dylan said “I was thinking we’d go shopping for a ring?”! I couldn’t believe it. We had of course talked about getting engaged but it really took me by surprise when Dylan asked! I of course was only too happy to go ring shopping together. We went and picked out a lovely white gold engagement ring and spent the rest of the day spreading the word to our families.
See Maeve & Dylan’s super fun Summerhill House wedding by Tomasz Kornas Photography!
Maria & Sean
Our proposal… Sean proposed in Tinakilly Hotel just before midnight on Valentine’s night 2014! We were listening to a jazz band and he whispered in my ear. All I could say was ‘really?!’ Then again ‘really?!’ Haha…
See Maria & Sean’s fab DIY Day at Tinakilly House by Tomasz Kornas Photography!
Elizabeth & Shane
Our proposal… It was New Year’s day and we were getting ready to bring our dog for a walk. I was in my tracksuit having a cup of tea. I noticed Shane was wearing his ‘fancy’ clothes. I thought that was a bit odd for walking a dog. We were eating our toast when he left the room suddenly and came back in holding our dog Kenny and dropped to one knee and popped the question. He still had toast in his hand and was trying to hold the ring and Kenny as well as balance on one knee. I just starting laughing at that stage, I don’t think I even said yes. He had picked the ring himself which I was really shocked about as he hates shopping. We called everyone then went walking the dog (of course) and went out that evening to celebrate with drinks and dinner.
See Elizabeth & Shane’s romantic Lyrath Estate wedding by Eden Photography!
Lorraine & Shane
Our proposal… We decided to book two days away to celebrate our 5th anniversary. On the first night we were staying in Carton House and I was delighted to find we had been upgraded to a suite and that a bottle of Prosecco awaited us in the room. The following day we headed to Farnham Estate where we were looking forward to a relaxing massage and some more pampering. Little did I know that Shane had been in contact with the hotel weeks prior organising and plotting behind my back. We arrived down for our treatment and were brought to a beautiful candlelit couples room with two massage tables set up. Our massage began and I drifted off to the sounds of the sea being played through the speakers, all of a sudden the music and my massage stopped and “our” song How Long Will I Love You started up. Half asleep, I turned to Shane but he was no longer there. He was kneeling by my side with a promise ring in his hand wearing a t-shirt with the words ‘Will You Marry Me’ jumping out at me. I was in total shock and burst into tears (happy tears!). He had even booked me in to get my nails done the following morning before we headed off to Dublin to go ring shopping. It was an amazing time.
See Lorraine & Shane’s gorgeous Heritage Hotel wedding by Couple Photography!
Jordana & Kevin
Our proposal… I was in work and Kev had the day off. We had recently moved into a new house and Kev was waiting on the new couch to arrive – I was dashing home, dying to see my new couch, little did I know what would be waiting for me. I came home to the house covered in rose petals and candles with Kev on one knee in the middle of the sitting room. Kev had enlisted my sister Jessica to help decorate the house. He cooked a lovely dinner and a bottle or two of Prosecco later, we told our family and close friends.
See Jordana & Kevin’s super fun Tulfarris celebrations by Art Wedding Photography!
Melissa & Gerard
Our proposal… On a scorching summer’s day, Gerard phoned while I was on my way home from work asking me to call into our new home which was under renovation at the time. We were due to meet up with a group of friends later that afternoon at a festival nearby. He wanted to show me some sample pieces of skirting and architrave. When I arrived at the house and opened the front door, Gerry was down on bended knee with a ring in hand in the hallway with ‘Will You Marry Me’ painted on the concrete floor and of course I said ‘Yes’. The house we were renovating was my grandparents’ house so it was the beginning of a new chapter for us and it is nice to know that the proposal is still underneath our new porcelain tiles.
See Melissa & Gerard’s delightful Dingle Skellig wedding by Elaine Kennedy Photography!
Sinead & Gerard
Our proposal… Gerard was due to collect me from work one Friday evening, but I got a last minute phone call to say I would have to get the bus home as he had to work late. Needless to say I wasn’t happy that I had to get two buses home in the rain! But when I got home there were candles all over the hall in the shape of an arrow pointing to a heart shape in the sitting room where Gerard was on one knee! He asked me to marry him and because I was completely shocked I replied “why aren’t you at work?!” followed very quickly by a “yes!”
See Sinead & Gerard’s chic celebrations at Tulfarris by Insight Photography!
Sean & Claire
Our proposal… On 21st December 2013, Sean and I were lying on the couch in our apartment in Dublin watching Elf. When it was finished Sean announced that he was going to Tesco to get some groceries for lunch. Two minutes later he returned telling me that he had checked the post box downstairs and there was a letter addressed to me. Then he left and went to Tesco. I quickly discovered the writing on the envelope was Sean’s writing. Basically it was a note telling me to pack an overnight bag and he would return to collect me in an hour. An hour later he collected me and blindfolded me and drove me to the Powerscourt Hotel in Co. Wicklow while we listened to Christmas FM on the radio. Within minutes we were up in a beautiful suite he had reserved and Sean was reading me a poem he had written. The poem was a synopsis of our time together and I don’t remember it word for word (although I kept a copy of it). However I do remember the last two lines – they were “A future Mrs de Jong I hope you will be when you answer the question – will you marry me?” And then he produced a ring…
See Sean & Claire’s stunning celebrations at Druids Glen by Couple Photography!
Victoria & Victor
Our proposal… was on my birthday. We were with our friends and family in a parking lot and I was about to break some balloons to find my birthday surprise… which was hidden in a Kinder Surprise egg – the engagement ring!
See Victor & Victoria’s chic Barcelona wedding by Monica Hadarean Photography!
Debbie & Anthony
Our proposal… It was my (ahem) 40th birthday last January and he popped the question while I was watching Emmerdale in my purple fluffy pyjamas, no make-up, with a glass of Prosecco in my hand! I had no idea. He had thrown me off the scent too earlier in the day by giving me an Eternity ring for my birthday, declaring ‘This is not THE ring’ etc… so when he got down on one knee I was genuinely shocked!
See Debbie & Anthony’s classic Clonabreany Wedding by Kathy Silke Photography!
Ailish & Vinny
Our proposal… was exactly 5 years since the day we met… it happened in our kitchen at home, having pizza and wine! It was Ailish’s 30th birthday and that weekend we were having a 30th birthday bash which then happily turned into an engagement party! We then went to Morocco that Sunday for a week of celebrations – engagement, 5 year anniversary and 30th birthday!! Vinny proposed with my grandmother’s engagement ring, which we had restored by Askoy Jewellers in Cork city.
See Ailish & Vinny’s fab Fota Island wedding by Insight Photography!
