A Royal Engagement

As you may have learned, Prince William and Miss Kate Middleton are finally engaged.

And when you heard the news you felt a twinge of envy and sadness.

Or was that just me?

Don't get me wrong - I LOVE the Engineer.  He is my Prince.  But he isn't exactly from Royal blood nor does he have a castle.  I didn't actually think I was ever going to be a real princess anyways but there was always that happy knowledge that a single future king was out there.

It's like that moment you realize that you are never going to figure skate with Kurt Browning in the Olympics (so many things are wrong with this to begin with but this was my dream at 14).  Or dance in the Nutcracker.  Or be the future Queen of England.

I am happy for them though, and I can't wait to see the dress Kate picks!  Also, how can we not like her?  She's a commoner!  Educated.  Pretty.  Fashionable.  And she bagged a prince.

Is this what people felt like in 1981 when Sarah and Charles got married?

They plan on getting married next spring or summer.  Great.  Now my wedding definitely won't be the event of 2011.

I have been engaged for 11 months now and I have some advice for Miss Kate. 

ENJOY the engagement-moon!  My friend told me that she loved the first couple of months of being engaged and boy, was she right.  I wish I had relished them more.  I look back on those first two, and very cold, weeks in January when I was with the Engineer in London after our engagement with fondness.  I can even smell the London flat and taste the tea as I sat for hours on my computer looking at possible wedding destinations.

When you are newly engaged, you feel as if you have just fallen in love for the first time.  My affection for the Engineer drove me wild.  I adored everything he said and wanted to kiss him all the time.

We're back to normal now.  HA!

I also loved being a new bride.  The unfamiliar feeling of having a ring on your left hand. Catching yourself in every mirror or window or puddle to see the glitter of your ring.  Talking in an unusual manner with your hands hoping strangers would comment on the beauty of your ring. 

When you are newly engaged, it's fun to race to the bookstore and buy every bridal magazine.  You wait at the counter whilst paying just waiting for the person to comment on your engagement (God, how needy am I?).  The excitement of talking about all that you want for your wedding before the inevitable budget sets in.  Trying to decide where in the world to get married (or was that just me?).

I loved telling everyone (and because I was in London this was hard!).  My group of friends have a tradition of telling big news over brunch. How long I had fantasized about sitting over eggs benny and then saying, "So I got the best thing in London" and then whipping my left hand out to a myriad of screams.  Instead, I revealed it by email because the Engineer and I wanted to post our engagement on Facebook (so much is wrong with that statement). 

The best part about being newly engaged is that you are crazy in love, not just crazy. Which is what you are eleven months into an engagement.  The Engineer and I no longer look into each other's eyes with wonder as we contemplate growing old together.  Now I just ask him if he prefers pink to yellow and what sort of music should we have at the ceremony (bagpipe!). 

I have the date set, the invitations have already been RSVP'd, the dress is sitting in my closet, and my bridesmaids are picked. 

Also, I am not a 'new' bride anymore.  Other people have gotten engaged since my engagement.  Like 15 minutes of fame, you only get 15 minutes of absolute adoration until it is your wedding day and you get to be adored again. 

Then you're really screwed because you'll be married.

So, Kate Middleton, I toast my cup of tea to you and William.  May you enjoy your engagement and the uphoria of finally getting the ROCK (she waited long enough!).  I look forward to wearing a hat at your wedding.  Although I will be watching it from my couch. 

And for all you single gals  -  there is still one single royal left . . .

The Engagement Announcement

Of course I had to make a video.

And lucky you, the Engineer is finally revealed!  Is it as exciting as when we found out Big's name in 'Sex and the City'?

Yup, thought so.

Always a bridesmaid and finally . . . . .

A BRIDE!!!!

That's right folks - this professional bridesmaid is finally going to don the white dress herself!!

Sorry for the delay in any new entries, but with Christmas, jet lag and the fact I had to tell my mum in person (and, ummm, most of my readers) I had to wait for this entry.

So here it goes, the story you've all been waiting to hear.  Okay fine, all two of you have been waiting to hear:

The Engineer and I arrived in London early in the morning on New Year's Eve.  I was ridiculously excited to be here because this is my favourite city (New York now ties it I must admit) but I was also super sick with a cold and lack of sleep.

I made us take a nap.

We finally roused ourselves late late afternoon and I was jumping off the walls to go on an adventure.  Many of my friends wondered if he was going to propose on New Years, but I didn't want to get my hopes up.  I did, however, pick my dress to wear for the night and think to myself, "would I want to get engaged in this"? (Yes, I am crazy like Kate Hudson in 'Bride Wars').  I really wasn't expecting anything because he didn't plan anything special.  We had a hotel but cancelled it and in that moment I truly thought it was a definite no-go.

Time for our adventure.

Sarah's side:  We take off for Picadilly Circus first.  Which is sadly undergoing construction so the statue/fountain is all boarded up.  Nevermind.  We'll go to Wagamama for noodles.  Which is yummy and we don't have to wait in line because we are eating like senior citizens at 5pm.

The Engineer's side:  Damn!  Picadilly looks like crap and it's so freaking busy.  Keep coat on my lap when eating, keep coat on lap when eating.  Do not let go of box, do not let go of box

Sarah's side:  Leave Wagamama and turn the corner headed to one of my favourite spots on earth, ever, Trafalgar Square.  Crap, it's freezing.  Oh wow, even the Engineer is cold.  He won't take his hand out of his pocket, I will hold on to his elbow.

The Engineer's side:  WHAT?  We're in Trafalgar Square already??  Okay, perfect place, perfect place, but where?  According to 'Places to Propose in London' this is number two.  F*&CK!  The fountains are BOARDED UP!  Because of New Year's.  I suppose they don't want drunk rowdies jumping in the frozen water.  Which Sarah would probably do because she keeps telling me about the time she danced in the fountain.  Crap it's freezing. And she wants to hold my hand.  GAH!  She's going for my hand in my pocket! Turn away! Turn away!  HA, crisis averted.

Sarah's side: Over the Golden Jubilee Bridge we go, taking a look at Big Ben and London Eye. It's so pretty!  I love London! But god damn I'm cold!  And I feel super sick.  My face hurts.  Take my picture! I look pretty!

The Engineer's side:  GAH!  This place is freaking crowded. There are tourists and drunk people everywhere.  She wants me to take her picture.  Must let go of box.  Is the Eye even moving?  It's the number one place to propose in London.  But that's cheesy.  She'll hate it.  But maybe tonight, yes, maybe that's the perfect place.

Sarah's side: Ooooh, the Eye is moving!  Maybe we could have a bubble to ourselves.  Oh, that would be so romantic.

Sarah and the Engineer:  We walk towards to London eye, but alas, it is closed to plebs like us.  We heard the girls in front of us say that it was open until nine!  DAMN!

Sarah's side: Westminster Bridge.  My other favourite spot in the world.  Tell the Engineer about the time my RADA friends and I wrote a letter about our summer and dropped it into a bottle beneath this bridge.

The Engineer's side:  Stop talking about RADA or Jenn Greene.

Sarah's side:  Big Ben is so lovely, the parliament building is so lovely.  I love this place.

The Engineer's side:  Oh god, this is perfect.  She loves it here.  Whoops, she just tripped and almost dropped her camera over the edge.  Ummmm, maybe not a good place for a pink sapphire?  Plus, it's crowded and people are drunk and yelling.  Did that guy just puke?  It's only 7:00!  Hmmm, what to do?  Tell her I love her.

"Sarah"

Sarah's side:  Oh GOD!  He said my name seriously!  Oh god, he is going to propose!  EEEEEE!

"Oh my god! Are you going to propose??"

"Uh, no.  I just wanted to tell you I love you."

"Oh"  kiss him "it's cold, let's keep going"

Sarah's side:  Westminster Abbey.  I love the way it looks and how it's been here for hundreds of years.  And the full moon is out!  Wow, over Big Ben and the Abbey it looks like a fairytale.

The Engineer's side:  Wow, it looks like a fairytale.  Okay, here.  I will ask her here.  Oh wait, is that the police?  There are like thirty of them just standing there!

Sarah's side:  I have to pee.  Bad.  It's also really cold.  Let's go.

The Engineer's side:  Hmmm, maybe that park there?  Point to it.

Sarah's side:  Oh, that park. If we go I will just end up telling him about the time I was here with my RADA friends. Plus I really have to pee.

The Engineer:  She has to pee.

Another few hours pass.  I do, in fact, find a place to pee.  But it's in a coffee shop which is warm.  We both try hard not to fall asleep.  So cozy, so warm, snooze.  I make us go outside again to wake us up.  This does not work.  So we head to Covent Garden and the Maple Leaf Pub.  I realize this is bad.  It's a Canadian pub in London and it's our first night.  But it's really big and there is still room inside it.  We hang out here for a couple of hours and drink cider.

The Engineer:  Do not take off coat.  Do not take off coat.  It's hot in here!  Do NOT take off coat.

Sarah:  Why doesn't he take off his coat?

"Is my ring on your persons?" I joke and squeeze him

The Engineer:  GAH!

Sarah: He's so cute.

Sarah:  It's 11:30, let's go watch the fireworks

The Engineer:  Holy mother of god, why are there so many drunk people yelling so loudly??  But she loves fireworks . . .

Sarah:  F*#@k it.  It's cold. I'm cold. I'm sick.  And I am tired.  I should watch the fireworks because I am in London but I just want to sleep.  Let's go home.

The Engineer:  Home?  Oh god, I have to ask her!  But where?  I can't wait until tomorrow!

We are on Oxford Street at New Year's, and then jump in a cab.  The cabbie talks the WHOLE way home.

The Engineer: Shut up cabbie!  I have to think! Where?  Where?

Sarah: As we step out of the cab it starts to snow.  Oh wow!  It's so pretty!

The Engineer:  Snow!  She loves snow!  Is that a yard?  I'll point to it?

Sarah:  It's just a yard.  I have to pee. Get inside!

The Engineer:  Crap.

Sarah:  My head hurts, I am so tired.  And as I am taking off my socks . . . . .

The Engineer:  Well, I guess this is as good a time as any.  And there are no people around.  Perfect.

The Engineer got all serious again and said, "I don't want to ever start a year without you"

Sarah: "Yeah, me neither"

And then the box appeared!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!  I started to freak out!

What is that? I said.

What do you think it is?

OH MY GOD!  OH MY GOD!!!  And I ran away to the back of the bed.  Then I jumped my way back.

"Are you joking?  Is this a joke?  Are you kidding me??"

"Sarah, I want to spend the rest of my life with you"

And then he got down on one knee. At this point I am wiggling and bouncing up and down.

"Will you marry me?"  Except I didn't hear him say it because I was screaming when he opened the box and revealed my amazing PINK engagement ring (An actual, original Larry Ho).  I grabbed his face and said 'YES' and then jumped on him.

Then I jumped on the bed like a kid, did a few somersaults and rolled around.  Looked at my finger and then jumped some more.  Then I jumped back on him.

"Wait, you have to say it again!  I didn't hear you!"

"It's not my fault you weren't paying attention."

"I was! I was just too excited!"

"Sarah, will you marry me?"

YES YES YES!!!!!

And that is the story of how the Engineer took me on a romantic, wonderful walk of my favourite city on New Year's, to all the amazing places and proposed to me when I was taking my socks off.  Hopefully the rest of our lives will always knock my socks off.

ps. I thought I was going to cry, but I didn't.  I did somersaults.  It wasn't until the morning, in the light of day, that I looked at him and said, "I knew the moment I fell in love with you that I wanted to marry you.  What took you so long?"  Then I cried (happy tears! not tears of why did it take you so long?!)