23rd June 2020. I’ve been counting down towards this day ever since I guessed it!
It started from one month plus ago. Ming asked me if I wanted to go on a picnic in June. I didn’t suspect anything initially until he started asking a few more times and with a little wink of his.
I’m like “okayyyy, there’s something going on” hahaha.
Ming also looked super happy when I said I shifted my Sunday tuition away to Tuesdays. I suddenly thought of which is the day that June 23 falls on this year, and it’s on Sunday! 23rd June was the day we first met two years ago, and the day Ming considered us to be together hahaha.
Much as I wanted a surprise, I was very looking forward for the day. I even went to dye my hair and prep my nails a few days before! I let it out to a few friends that 23rd June was my proposal date as I couldn’t hold in my excitement.
Morning was a rush. I woke up early to prepare the picnic food and to doll up myself. Ming changed the meeting place to Raffles Place and was asking me to guess where we were going. I couldn’t have guessed it even if he gave me more clues! I was running late by 15 mins, and we had to catch something at 11am. What could it be that there’s a timing? A show? Exhibition? Staycation? Spa?
At the MRT platform, I saw Ming looking smart in a pink shirt and white berms. He was holding a brown paper bag containing a bouquet of roses :). I was expecting flowers as he said he will give me during special occasions. But I was still happy seeing it, and there’s fairy lights on it :)).
We rushed to Marina South Pier and tadaa, we were going to St John Island! That’s why I would never have guessed it cause I haven’t been there before and would never have thought of it!
Boarding ferry to St John~
St John Island was half an hour ferry ride away. The sun was so strong that day, with no hint of rain at all! We felt quite blessed by the good weather although it’s a tad hot as it was rainy for the past few days and weather forecast predicted it to rain that day too.
My man, me and my pretty flower with pretty fairly lights :)).
I was surprised to see quite a number of people at St John. We walked a distance to Lazarus Island as Ming said the beach there was quite pretty. However we ended up at some forested area and it was just stone wall and sea. I was a little dismayed by the place Ming suggested to lay the picnic mat and we decided to head back.
Luckily for us, we found the white sandy beach area and a shady area under the tree.
Here’s my man. Poor thing as he’s down with fever that day :(. He was quite warm when I touched him.
The mango, prawn and cucumber soba salad I prepared.
Taking a lot of photos and making full use of the tripod we lugged there.
I was famished by the time and the salad was finished in a while. We sat there, chatted and gazing at the people on the yatches. I got sleepy and was a little impatient, wondering when he wanted to propose. I did notice Ming sneaking looks at me, gauging the right moment hahaha.
Then.
He took out some cards! He asked if I’m ready hahahaha. (I was thinking of whether to video it down as my camera was already on the tripod. Decided not to in the end as I wanted to truly feel the moment without being conscious of the camera. Major regrets now haha!)
The first card was a watercolour drawing of us in our Mickey couple tee, and a snow white castle in the background. It was our first trip together to Hong Kong! Ming read out the words he wrote behind, and I felt touched.
He continued with the second card, us on a yellow brick road. It’s our sunflower day at Gardens by the Bay. Written behind was the wishes he had for us both :).
Third one, it was him kneeling down with a ring and asking the words.
“Will you marry me?”
I wanted to tell him about my thoughts, but I suddenly felt a little shy. I reached behind him for my bag to take out a ‘I said YES!’ card that I have prepared instead. Later he thought I wanted to take tissue and I shared that I was close to tearing, if only he have more cards prepared hahahaha.
Before putting the ring on me, I wanted him to do the traditional way of asking haha. Kneeling down on one knee, Ming asked me again.
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes”
And, I’m officially being reserved (his words haha).
When the sun became less hot (I still got a bit burnt =.=), we went out for our diy casual photoshoot!
I made the card just for this shot!
Some shots on the beach. The sand was really white and fine. Ming said to tell people he proposed in Maldives haha.
Our behind-the-scene shot haha.
Another one!
The goofy him that I like :).
Ming finally piggyback me! It’s my little wish to be piggyback by him and I felt touched that he’s willing to do that despite being feverish :).
We caught the 4.50pm ferry back to Marina. And that’s my proposal story :).
I’ve always tell Ming that I wanted a special proposal, a proposal that he put in effort to create. From young, I’ve fantasize what my own proposal will be like. A younger me wanted a proposal by the beach, decorated with a leading trail of flower petals and ring in a sea shell. Or in a room with lots of decorations and photos.
This proposal, initially I expected lots of decorations on the picnic area. Letting go of these romanticised expectations, I began to appreciate and felt touched by Ming’s effort. 谢谢你圆我一个求婚的梦。那束花有我喜欢的 fairy lights ，你画的卡片很可爱，有我们的回忆，还有卡片上的句句字都触动到我的心。想到你发着烧还去拿花，陪我拍一个下午的照，一句怨言也没有，我很心疼也很感动。我觉得我找到对的人了，很高心是你。我很期待能够嫁给你，爱你宝贝。
Look at the serving size of the caesar salad! It could easily be the main course for 2 people!
Whisk me far and away.. 