My then-boyfriend / now-fiance Nick unexpectedly proposed to me on December 31st 2008, the afternoon of New Years Eve.

We'd already discussed the fact we wanted to get married while on an amazing holiday in Asia, and he'd then asked my father for permission a couple of weeks before NYE. We'd even gone shopping for engagement rings (but just to look, not buy), purely because I was so excited and despite the fact Nick had told me he was planning to propose around April 2009. We live in London and had been visiting my folks in Australia for Christmas and New Year, so it had just been a convenient time to ask Dad for my hand in marriage face-to-face rather than over the phone. Engagement was meant to be a long way off.

However, that did put us in a kind of limbo which I hated, particularly because Dad had told some of my family that Nick and I were engaged in anticipation of the blessed event. It wasn't easy fielding calls of congratulations and having to explain as best I could that we weren't actually engaged yet. It was confusing for everyone and I complained bitterly to Nick about it. Having had a sister go through an engagement that never made it to the altar (she never even got a ring), I could feel their skepticisim over the phone lines - "Uh oh, it's happening again!"

It just so happened that I also managed to find THE engagement ring for me. As soon as the jeweller slipped it on my finger, I went "Oooooooh...". Then when he put the matching wedding band on, I went "Aaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!" and I knew straight away these were the rings for me. Rings being incredibly expensive in London, we decided to buy it while we were in Oz and could get the tax back on exiting the country. My mother put us in touch with a jeweller who custom made the same ring for a lot less which Nick picked up on Dec 31st. So I knew he had it, but I also knew (or so I thought) that I wasn't getting it yet. He did say that maybe he should just hand the ring over to me (no proposal, no nothing) and we would then be engaged. I of course was prepared to throttle him at that suggestion, and asked that he at least get down on one knee and TRY to make it a bit more romantic.

I still don't know whether Nick decided to propose to me earlier than planned to put me out of my misery, or if the April proposal was just a ruse so he could surprise me. He was quite the Secret Squirrel about the whole operation. He ordered a dozen long stemmed roses and red and white heart balloons and streamers on the sly. He knew I was out to visit a friend in the morning, and surreptitiously rang my sister and asked her to keep me busy during the afternoon. He then decorated the balcony of our hotel room with the balloons, streamers, roses and metallic heart confetti. It was a gorgeous sunny day and the balcony had a stunning view of Sydney Harbour and the Harbour Bridge.

When I returned to the room later that afternoon, it was in total darkness and he called out to me to join him on the balcony. I was surprised and amazed to see the beautifully decorated balcony with the ring box sitting on the table, and realising what was about to happen, I immediately burst into tears. Nick guided me to a seat by the table, sat opposite me, and told me all the reasons he loved me so much (I continued to bawl my eyes out the whole time). Then he got down on one knee, opened the ring box and asked me to marry him. I managed to choke out a yes, he slipped the ring on my finger, we hugged like mad, shared a kiss, and we were engaged!

It was a wonderful and amazing experience and I wouldn't change a thing :)