August 25, 2011. No, it was not a normal day for me, Courtney Mara. Not only was this the day that I went from being a single gal to being engaged, but I also woke up for the first time ever in a beautiful hotel room on the French Polynesian island of Tahiti. Matt, my now fiance, and I arrived late the evening before in Tahiti and went straight to our resort, the Radisson Plaza Tahiti. We decided to take our first day in Tahiti slow by staying on the resort. We spent the morning and early afternoon playing on the black sand beach, floating in the clear water, laying by the pool, and trying to get the French waiters/waitresses to understand that we like “frozen drinks” (thankfully, Matt was able to find a way to get his strawberry daiquiri and my pina colada). It all seemed like a normal vacation day. Low and behold did I know that a big question was coming later in the day…
Matt had made reservations at the nicest restaurant at the resort. Around 5pm we went to the front desk to talk about our excursion for the next day and to ask about the restaurant. We soon found out the restaurant serves French cuisine, which is my least favorite cuisine. Matt cancelled our reservation and indicated that he was not hungry anyways. I, however, was starving. So, instead we went to the restaurant by the beach and ordered me french fries. Matt appeared agitated that we would be eating at this restaurant. I did not understand why, but I was too hungry to really think into it too much so I continued to eat my french fries (I guess he didn’t want my last meal as a single gal to be french fries). After the sun went down and my french fries were gone, a resort worker lit the tiki torches between the beach and the pool. Matt’s attitude significantly changed. He ran over and grabbed a place for us next to a tiki torch. He went to the room to grab towels (that would act as a blanket) and I assumed that he was using the restroom since it was taking so long, but it turned out he was really grabbing the ring and checking on the flower delivery. We ordered a bottle of French wine and we laid out on a couch chatting about our five years together.
I had a feeling that the proposal was coming when Matt started off our conversation with, “So, what did you think of me when you first met me?” In my head I was like, “Is he about to propose!!??!” I started to feel his pockets without him knowing, but with no ring box in sight or touch I told myself, “Don’t get your hopes up!” About 20 minutes into our conversation Matt had me face him as he presented me with a dozen roses. I was completely shocked – I had not seen that a few seconds earlier one of the waiters delivered roses Matt had ordered earlier in the day (again, during one of his “bathroom breaks”). Matt then said, “I think you know what is coming.” At this point my heart was racing, I had my hand over my mouth, and I was thinking, “OMG” and “Finally!” Matt got down on one knee, pulled out a Tiffany’s cloth bag, took out the ring from the bag, and then he asked the question most girls/ladies dream of being asked by their significant others, “Will you marry me?” I quickly replied, “Yes, of course!” Matt placed the ring on my wedding finger and I then got down to his level and hugged and kissed him for the first time as an engaged couple.
Tags: Engagement, Proposal, Radisson, Roses, Tahiti, Tiffany's, Vacation
