My Surprise Proposal

Those who follow me on instagram/dayre would know that I just got proposed to around a week ago! Here's the story :)

If I could have it my way, I would prefer it to be a complete surprise but that was not meant to be because of the BTO system in Singapore. Of course, I could choose to apply only after the proposal and get my house five years later, but it doesn't fit into the ideal timeline... I didn't want to wait five years for our home after getting married, nor did I want to be engaged for five long years before getting married. And so, in 2014 we applied for a flat together and lucky us got our unit with just one try. Many people around me were like, "is this the proposal?" or "so confirm already lah?"

To me, applying for a flat was just an admin procedure.... It meant that we have the intention to get married, but no promises yet. It was a practical decision, and didn't have any emotional representation to it although I was glad that my bf wanted to settle down with me. And all along, I made sure that he knew that applying for a flat was not going to be THE proposal. Haha. (You can read about our BTO journey here: http://www.estherxie.com/2014/11/bto.html)

So fast forward a year, over late dinner at a food court one day, he asked if I wanted to go check out the hotels first, because ballrooms get booked up very quickly these days. I was like, "No?" Hahaha. He laughed and said, "I will still propose lah." Lol. But I still refused because once we start on our wedding plans, the proposal wouldn't have any meaning anymore.

Then fast forward another few months, I went to his house and his mum told me that his friend gave him Ritz Carlton mooncakes. So I asked him who gave him those mooncakes. He stuttered and said "my friend lah." I said "who?" Then he say "aiya my friend lah, say you also don't know." I'm like, "don't even have name meh." He couldn't give an answer so I said "ok lor I ask my FRIEND to give me mooncake also" and went down to the living room. So childish but hahaha. He came after me and showed me the mooncake box cover and said it's a free gift from the diamond ring shop. Wahlao, I ruined my own surprise!!!!! Luckily, I didn't see the ring yet.

Told him not to propose so soon, must wait till I'm not thinking about it anymore. However, it was not easy to totally forget because we were going to get our house by end of next year or the following year. So there was a "time constraint" and I knew it was going to come around this year but I didn't know when.

Actually at first the plan was for me to meet up with Fiona and Maisarah first before they find an excuse to lead me to the hotel room where bf would be waiting but because it was on a Sunday and we usually have family day when my dad doesn't need to work, I told them I couldn't make it.

So bf went to visit my parents secretly while I was working and told them he wanted to propose to me as well as revealing his plans to them so that my parents can act like they have something on this particular day and I would be free to go out with my friends.

And my entire family so good at keeping secrets!!! Mum told me she had a wedding dinner to attend so I could go out if I want. It would be too obvious if Fiona asked me out again on the same date, so bf changed plans and approached my another close clique of friends.

And this clique hor, came up with such a clever plan that I totally didn't suspect anything at all!!!! I read the group chat that my bf had with them and I felt major loved because they know me so well T_T

So one of the girls in this clique, Jaye, announced to us recently that she was migrating with her boyfriend at the end of this year. Few weeks before the proposal, she suddenly told us that she was actually leaving in April and so we made plans to meet her one last time before she leaves the country. She also said that she wanted me to look at her gown and that her boyfriend was going to treat us to dinner at Pan Pacific Hotel.

On the day itself, we were supposed to meet at 1pm but when I reached Mandarin Gallery, only Chelsea was there and everyone else was "late". We had our lonely lunch together while Jaye messaged us that her ferry from Batam to Singapore was delayed and asked us to mention her name to the hotel recep and go to her room first to wait for her. Amber, Eugene, and his wife arrived at around 330pm and we made our way to Pan Pacific Hotel. Cheemin was LATE!!!! Hahahah he said he would be there at 3pm but it was 5pm already! So we waited at the lobby for him and I was even chatting with Amber about how Pan Pacific quite nice, can consider for wedding banquet. After awhile, I said, "why not we go to the room first and wait there." Meanwhile I still had no inkling that this day was to be about me.

After going up to the hotel level, we were still having a discussion whether it was 17th floor or 31st floor because the unit number started with 31 but someone said it's 17th floor. Then I absentmindedly walked into the suite and the person holding the door was my bf's friend whom I met only once! I thought so coincidental that my bf's friend is Jaye's friend too! I said "Eh, you look familiar!" but she didn't acknowledge me so I thought I may have recognized the wrong person. Or maybe she forgot me already... Then she asked me to sit on the sofa which has hearts petals on it. I didn't think much of the lovey dovey decor because I thought it was something nice that the hotel did for Jaye and her boyfriend. I was abit confused when everybody didn't want to sit and all keep asking me to sit! Then in the midst of it all, I suddenly realize it was going to be the proposal!!!!

The TV then showed a video photo montage of me and bf, while the videography crew was recording me. I was slightly distracted by the cameras and didn't really absorb what the screen was showing. Haha and the video was so long, I finally understood how awkward it was for the girls in other proposal videos when they sat there alone. Hahaha. After the video, Fiona suddenly appeared from the bedroom and brought me in, where the rest are! I was surprised because I didn't expect them to be there! Then they opened the other door and bf came out from behind, playing a saxophone!!!! And the song was "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You", which was also also supposed to be my parent's courtship song (but my bf didn't know lah, it was just coincidental. So qiao right.) After the proposal, he told me that he secretly went to take up saxophone classes just for this!!!! $50 per session?? Add up is afew hundreds already! Wah so bohua. Afew day before the proposal he randomly brought up the topic about saxophone and told him that my sister learnt to play it in school last time. Too late, he could have gotten her to teach him instead! And I also told him that I found it noisy when my sister played the saxophone at home last time. Too late to change instrument too. Lol!

When he finished his song, he started his speech but everything was a blur and I only heard Xu Tai Yu Xu Tai Yu (in reference to the movie Our Times) hahahaha. I even thought to myself wah not bad he can memorize everything. THEN HE CRIED. To me, this was the highlight hehe because he is usually quite unfeeling one. After that he gave me tickets to Jay Chou's concert!!! Wah damn happy is this bribery hahaha. After that he showed me a board with all our movie tickets he kept. Then he went on his knees and said the magic words. I asked, "why must I?" then he said "because I love you~" Win liao lor hahahaha and I said OKAY!

The original script (he didn't follow word for word):

"Hi Dear, I may not be a perfect boyfriend to you, and neither am I able to make your heart go pik pok pik pok like how xu tai yu did. But I will want to have you by my side for the rest of my life, taking care of you and be your most personal and efficient alarm clock forever. You know what? There is one thing xu tai yu can't do but I can... 我可以叫周杰伦唱歌给你听 (again in reference to the movie Our Times, when the male lead said the exact sentence to the female lead, except that the original was Andy Lau instead of Jay Chou). I remember you told me before you like guys who keep movie tickets, and I have kept it all. I may not remember where and what movie we watched on our first date, but I will continue to keep the movie stubs as we continue watching together in future, thereby remembering the moments we had."

So happy! And the board above had tickets from few years ago! I asked him if the exceptionally big red heart is to fill up the empty space because not enough. Haha.

Bf's friend helped us take take this following set of photos during and after the proposal and I love how it turned out! The irony is I was so awkward on candid camera and much more natural when posing. Hahaha.

Now, onto the random photos and snaps I got from everyone else. Thanks everyone who came! Love every single one of you who came down specially just for this! So sad that there were a selected few who couldn't make it on that date though!

Felt so happy for bf because his friends are really awesome to sacrifice their Sunday to come help him with the proposal! Two others not in the photo~

Screenshots from my sister's snapchat video

Didn't notice the balloons till after the proposal haha.

Beautiful view from the suite!

That morning I was even asking my parents if what I wore was nice enough and my parents were telling me go hotel eat dinner must wear nicer. But I told them that I was not meeting bf so nobody will take my OOTD for me so I must leave the nicer clothes for days when I'm meeting bf and wear something normal instead (So regret!! Should have wore my nicest dress lo!) Haha. I even paced up and down the living room thinking about what I should wear, and even after I left the house, I sent my sister photos and asked if I should wear another outfit. Lol. Meanwhile, she was packing my bag for the hotel stay that night.

Still can't believe I'm engaged. Now it feels like the start of a relationship all over again, sweet sweet one. Hehe.

On the night of the proposal, before going to bed I whispered something along the lines of "Wah someone love me enough to want to marry me!" and my BF heard it from the living room of the suite and said "siao ah!" Lol I say very soft leh why he can hear! So paisei. Hahahahha.

I can't stop smiling to myself. Somehow after the proposal the more I think, the happier I get. Lol. I think my face now is even more blissful than during the proposal.. 反应迟钝.

Anyway I'm so afraid of losing my ring! Kept checking it every 10 mins. Haha.