So my boyfriend proposed to me last weekend (May 8th)!!!!! Here is how it all happened! His commentary on the events are in the blue text…
We decided to head up to Banff for a romantic weekend. We booked a room at a hotel and reservations at one of our favourite restaurants.
So on Saturday we drove out past Lake Louise to Bow Lake [So I had been planning to propose at Bow Lake for at least a month, and I had no back-up plan]. When we arrived, we discovered the lake was still completely frozen over and everything else was buried under 6 feet of snow.
My boyfriend was adamant that we go out to this bridge by the lake to “take some romantic pictures”.
As we started towards the path, another couple came by and warned us to stay on the path and that we should be “okay” but that otherwise we would “fall in”.
We weren’t sure what that meant so we started on the journey to the bridge. We quickly learned what the fuss was all about. Along the path on either side, we could see deep holes where other people had sunk into the snow. Looking to the bottom of the holes, we realized we were looking at the tops of bushes and the tree branches I was grabbing onto for support were actually the tops of trees!!!!!
We cautiously moved along the path with Neil ahead of me.. suddenly he went down… all the way down! [I had the engagement ring in my sweatshirt pocket, and I was absolutely terrified of it flying out or losing it] He was ok and managed to pull himself out which was lucky because not too long after, my whole left leg was swallowed up by the snow. I couldn’t get my foot out so I panicked and ended up pulling out my leg with my bare foot out of my shoe! My shoe was stuck!!! So neil came over and lying on his stomach, managed to pull out my snow-filled shoe [and in the process gave myself frostbite on my fingers].
At some point, about half way to the bridge it was decided that we would give up and start to head back towards the car. Had we made it to the bridge, we would then have to get back again..
On the journey back, we had more incidents of falling in. At one point my right leg was swallowed up much like the left leg before but this time, I wasn’t willing to lose my shoe. Plus, Neil was getting himself out of another hole ahead of me so I was on my own to get my foot out. So I sat there and wiggled and moved my leg in an attempt to get my foot out with my shoe on! I eventually did, thank goodness!!
As we walked back, we started running out of places to step. Each time Neil or I fell in, we created a huge hole that eliminated a place to step. Eventually, I told Neil we should crawl.. and we did… we crawled to a fairly stable area and then walked out.
Throughout our journey I can’t remember exactly how many times we both went in but it was a lot! As scary as it could have been and as cold as it was, I laughed my butt off and had a lot of fun!!!
So we were both just soaked. At the time, I was wet from the hips down and my jeans were just dripping. We got back into the car and Neil started banging his head against the car seat headrest [lol I was sooo desperately trying to come up with a back-up plan]. I couldn’t figure out what the issue was.. I mean, we had fun and it was an adventure.. [I needed to come up with a romantic place, there was no way I was going to propose in a car parking lot!!!!!]
As we drove, we pulled into a couple look-outs so I could take some pics. I saw a raven and another grey bird called a Clark’s Nutcracker but Neil wouldn’t get out of the car. He was so grumpy [every place we pulled into just wasn’t suitable and whilst Pia was out of the car I was desperately running through different scenarios should I propose at the restaurant later, or should we drive to lake louise? Etc etc...]
So we got moving again and headed down Highway 1a.. we found a place called Rock Bound Lake.. Neil pulled in there and suggested we get out and go for a walk to dry out our jeans [hehe]. So we headed into the forest up the path. At the time I remember thinking about whether or not there were bears in that area.. then suddenly Neil decided to go off the path. I asked him where he was going and he responded “exploring”. So I followed him.
He stopped in a small clearing that was surrounded by trees and had a moss carpet and we hugged and kissed. He told me how much he loved me and that we were Soul Mates and how he couldn’t imagine life without me.. and then he said he had something to say to me… I remember his face being suddenly really boyish and so innocent. He seemed like a kid who just got the best ice cream cone in the world… He got down on one knee ( I don’t remember doing it but he said I started to spaz out saying “Oh my God Oh my God” and then he said “Pia Kerber, Will you Marry Me?”. My response was… “Yes, Yes, of course, Yes!!”
His hands were trembling. I held out my hand and he put the ring on my finger.. I helped because with the trembling I didn’t want it to get dropped!
It was like a huge release though because the second that ring was on my finger, Neil was a huge bundle of excitement! it was like all he had to conceal from me was released and he let it all out. He kept saying “we’re engaged!”, “I proposed to you!” “We’re going to get married!” It was so cute.
He then told me about all the things he thought I suspected because he was sure I knew he was going to propose this weekend [I was sure she had seen the ring box in my pocket even though I kept on making her walk on the other side of me!]. He also told me all about when he got the ring etc.. and that he had a bottle of champagne in the car [It was a bottle of Rose Champagne, as I knew Pia wasn’t too keen on white champagne].
So we went to the hotel and checked in. After drying out a bit we got ready for dinner and went for a pre-dinner beer at the Magpie and Stump. After that we went to the Grizzly House for our dinner reservations. It was so funny… all the tables at the Grizzly House have phones at them so you can call other tables. As soon as we sat down, the phone rang and it was a bunch of girls at a bachelorette party asking if we had any marriage advice. I laughed and told them that I had JUST gotten engaged that day! They freaked out and were screaming and cheering. When they left, they all congratulated me on the way out.
We had a great dinner! We started with steak tartare and cheese fondue. For our mains, Neil had the hunter hot rock (Buffalo, wild boar and venison) with an additional ounce of Ostrich meat. I had the seafood hot rock (salmon, swordfish, halibut, prawns, scallops) with an additional ounce of beef. We also had some cider.. Neil tried the pear and the apple and I tried the cherry.
After dinner we went back to the hotel and shared a bottle of Rose champagne. Time to let loose and celebrate!!!
After the champagne, we then shared a bottle of white wine, followed by a bottle of red… Thats where things went a little fuzzy! I can’t remember much past that point. I remember laying down and having the room spinning around me but when I woke up the next morning, I was in bed and couldn’t remember how I got there. I was hurting! Worst hangover ever!!!
But all the good stuff I remember clearly and we had so much fun! We truly did celebrate!