A Perfectly Unplanned Proposal - Our October Engagement

Written by Jennifer Alderman

And it went a little something like this...

It was the first weekend of October 2020; Justin and I were on our way to my parent’s cottage on the Northumberland Strait for one of our last trips of the season. I wanted to take a little detour and stop at a spot called Driftwood Beach for the day; it is this beautiful beach in Advocate Harbour that is completely covered in driftwood, hence the name. I had been there once when I was little and I thought Justin would like to see it.

We drove along the Bay of Fundy, taking in the breathtaking coastline, stopping at places we had never been before; it was an easy-going, feel-good day with no expectations - or at least no expectations for me. We finally arrived at the beach and I was right, Justin loved it. We took in the sights together, walking along the beach and exploring the area.

I noticed that there were a few cottages available for rent; the front faced the beach, and in the back there was a cute little farm. It was so quaint and sweet, I wanted to stay. So we made a bet; if a night’s stay was less than $200, we would stay and if it was more, we would keep going and head to my parent’s cottage. In the end, we stayed (at $194.35 a night, we just had to! I kept the receipt after we left). Our little adventure led us adrift in the most perfect way; a spontaneous, romantic night just for us.

So we checked ourselves into our little cottage, dropped off our bags, and went to the beach to have a bonfire and a glass of wine. We were cozy in our hoodies and sweatpants as we settled in on the beach; I kept talking Justin's ear off, and although he wasn't really saying a lot, I didn't think much of it. Looking back, I now know that he was so nervous, his thoughts preoccupied, and that he barely heard a word I said. But this is where the story gets good..

The sunset was absolutely beautiful, setting over a cliff right on the water. Justin asked if I wanted to go for a walk by the water to see the sunset better. Little did I know that he had (last minute) timed his next move perfectly. Just as the sun began to set beyond the horizon, Justin got down on one knee, pulled out the cutest little pink heart box and asked if I would spend the rest of my life with him. Of course, I said yes.

We cried, we laughed, and we cried some more (pretty much all night long); it was, and always will be, one of the best days of my life. I will never forget the magic of it all; the simplicity and pure bliss I felt come over me as the sky burned around us. Everything was perfect.

In the morning, we headed to my parent’s cottage to share in our excitement; a close group of family and friends were on our way to meet us there as well to celebrate. Everything felt so exciting, so right. What’s funny though, is that Justin had been planning to propose at my parent’s cottage with everyone around, but something about our day trip before led him to propose earlier than planned; he went for it while we were just living in the moment, and I absolutely love that about our proposal. I couldn’t wait to see everyone, to share all the details of the day before, and to share the love and excitement that we were feeling with them all.

When we arrived, the day was nothing short of amazing. The people that I loved, at the beach I grew up on, celebrating the person I was so happy and grateful to have found, and the love that we shared. When I think about that day, my heart feels warm, and I think it always will. At this point, you might be wondering: but what about the ring? Okay, okay time to share one of the most important details of all - right?!

Let me start by saying this: my ring is everything I’ve ever wanted and more. It’s stunning yet unique, holds sentiment, and simply put, it is perfect for me. I know you understand my excitement, even without seeing it. What some of you may not know, though, is that my ring was actually designed by Özlem. It was made in Turkey and is one of the first ever diamond pieces she created, which makes it even more special - knowing that two of the most important people in my life came together, out of pure love, to create this beautiful ring for me.

Whenever I envisioned what I wanted for an engagement ring, I knew I wanted it to be yellow gold with a little bit of color. I dropped hints to Justin here and there hoping he would catch on. Apparently he had been listening, and together with he and Özlem created my dream ring; a gold band, round brilliant diamond in the centre, with two oval shaped diamonds on either side, green in color. Every time I look down at my hand, I smile.

Now here we are, 4 months engaged and and just starting to plan our wedding (it still feels weird to say that, I can't believe I'm getting married). Is it overwhelming at times? Yes of course, but I simply cannot wait to marry this man. My best friend, my safe place, and my life partner. Sharing in the perfectly imperfect, unplanned, and best parts of life together forever.

Happy Valentine’s Day xo