So the big question?

Thought I should start by telling the story of our engagement.

Last September, Graham took me to New York City, which is one of my favourite cities, for a long weekend. As soon as we booked it all our friends kept saying that he was definitely going to propose as why else would he take me all that way for just a weekend.

Now I cant say that I hadn't been hinting, especially after more than 5 years together! However Graham isn't one for being pushed to do anything so he was very good at making it seem like it wasn't going to happen, especially because everyone would expect it. He was even like this on the actual night, which was obviously his tactic to put me off the scent.

As we started to plan how we would spend our 4 days in NYC, we decided to go up the Empire State Building on the first night. Graham has always known that that is where I would love to be proposed too, which also gave everyone we know a few more clues.

After being grounded due a hole in the runway at Edinburgh, we finally left 3 hours late and arrived just in time to check in to our fabulous hotel then head out for some dinner before arriving at the Empire State Building around 11pm.

I was kind of nervous at this point thinking 'oh my god, this could be it' but I was also sort of thinking that he probably wouldn't. On the way up, and for most of the night, Graham kept fiddling with his boots (later I discovered it was because he had hidden the ring box in his socks since it was too big to fit in his pocket and it was too warm for him to wear a jacket).

Although we had tickets already we also wanted to get the extra ticket that would let us get all the way up to the 102nd floor. So we went up to the 86th and I remember asking Graham if he wanted to look around or go up further straight away. Of course, as he was slightly nervous by this point, he said lets go up now.

So up we went with just one other couple in the lift (it wasn't too busy as wasn't a great night outside, it was really misty) then started to have a look around. If you haven't been up to the top, it isn't very big and only takes about a minute or even less to look around. I went to straight to one of the windows and started looking at the view and for other buildings I could recognise. We walked a bit further round then Graham told me to take a picture out one of the windows.

Now everyone who knows me will tell you that I take far too many pictures when I am on holiday, especially of other buildings and views that no one else is really interested in. Graham is usually telling me to put my camera away or saying do we have to stop for another pic etc, so it was quite unusual that he was encouraging me to snap away!

Anyway, next thing he said Gaynor and when I turned he was already down on one knee with the ring in front of him. If I remember correctly, he said 'would you do me the honour of being my wife' and despite the fact I thought it might be coming, at that moment I was still shocked & excited and just answered with something like 'you know I will'.

Minutes after the proposal

It was the most perfect and romantic proposal I could have wished for, and definitely a story for the grandchildren one day!

Although it was after midnight by the time we came down, and therefore after 5am back in the UK, we phoned both our parents straight away and then my sister and Grahams sister and woke everyone them all up to tell them the good news! They were all delighted of course and I think both Grahams dad and my sister had already guessed that was why Graham had taken me away. My dad knew already as Graham had been round to ask his permission on the Tuesday before we left. Once we got back to the hotel (after getting soaked in a torrential downpour) I sent a few texts to my friends which meant that my phone beeped all night as they all woke up and got my message!

ps. The ring was perfect too, a platinum band with a square princess cut diamond solitaire, exactly what I would have picked myself (he did have a few hints) and the correct size.