- Make sure Caiqian loves the ring by having her help me pick it.
- Completely surprise Caiqian with the proposal.
Achieving the first goal was relatively simple (although it was not easy on my wallet). Caiqian wanted a large, clear diamond, with a twisted platinum setting. After much searching, we found our dream ring below.
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The second goal was tricky due to the first goal. First, I had to get Caiqian to think that the ring was still being shipped. To do this, I falsified a shipping confirmation e-mail from James Allen saying that the ring hadn't shipped yet. I also made expensive restaurant reservations at Houston, but proposed to Caiqian in Austin on Mother's day weekend.
I chose Austin because that's where me met, and Amy's Ice Creams because it was where we spent our first dating anniversary. The morning of the proposal, my dad bought an Amy's Ice Cream Cow and dressed it up for the big moment.
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 Will You Watermelon Marry Me Mocha Sweet Caiqian Strawberry? |
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| Caiqian and I are on the left. Not pictured: My dad crouching in the bushes at night taking this photograph. |
When I got to the cashier's, I asked him to give me "that cow." The cashier refused, and we got in an argument about buying the cow until his manager handed it off (I'm guessing he was under instructions not to sell it to anyone else, and he didn't know I was the one who really needed it). Caiqian later told me she was a little freaked out with how much I wanted that cow.
But it all was worth it because she said yes.
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| The only picture of me on my knees. |
Dad was great and captured the immediate aftermath on video. My favorite part is Caiqian at 1:18, "GIMME MY COW!"
So now we're fiancees! Next up, the Cropper family is going to West Virginia.
