The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
mission completed, surprising GF: trip to paris and asking the big Q,
The_Glad_Hatter
One Sly FoxUnderneath a Groovy HatRegistered User regular
One Sly FoxUnderneath a Groovy HatRegistered User regular
Thanks to you guys my trip to NY was unforgettable, my holiday in barcelona was well-prepared, and my website menu's work like a charm... (previous posts). And once again i must ask too much of you H/A'rry
The deal: my and my GF, both 25, will be together for 7 years this december.
the past: brilliant, 2 years ago she organised a surprise weekend trip for our anniversary.
The plot: completely blow her away with a surprise-trip to paris and a proposal
The plan:
the day before our anniversary, we'll go visit and stay at a friend's in Brussels, so we don't have to get up at an ungodly hour to catch the train. She however won't know where we're going untill we're actually in the trainstation.
i'd expect to arrive in Paris just before lunch. and we'll be leaving the next day in the late afternoon. i want it to be a bit of a blitz-visit, so we'll have the opportunity to re-visit it, reminisce and really see the town.
i haven't quite figured out how to spend the afternoon? any tips?
In the evening, i was thinking about dining at le coupe chou. And, unless it rains like a motherfucker, propose to her on the pont des arts (which i hope won't be too croudy in the december saturday evenings). if said rain drops, i guess i'd ask it in the restaurant.. not sure on that one.. maybe a bit too showy...
The next day, i was thinking about maybe visiting parts of the louvre or musee d'orsay.. (i'm heavily into art, she can dig and enjoy acessable stuff for an afternoon or so).
And since i want to keep this a secret from my friends here, i'd really appreciate any feedback from fellow forumers. Be it for a good way to spend the afternoon, to comments on the proposal location (i want it to be something specific, one specific spot), the restaurant or the next-day activities.
But really anything that would make a special occasion even more special.
For a hotel i was looking at hotel st jacques for something superfrenchy (kinda over the top flourishes) or perhaps hotel des academies or something else from tripadvisor high-rankers.
Having been a college student for the past 7 years, up untill now, i always was more of a creativity over money value for gifts, and i know going to paris etc can be cliché'ed sometimes, but i'd really like to ace the execution...
i'm willing to spend up to 250 for a hotel room, and about 200 for entertainment and food. more if you've got any truly awesome suggestions.
details:
we'll be travelling using the Thalys.
we both speak french reasonably well
my interest: art, rock and her.
her interest: science, music (classical and brass) and me
TLDR: what's to most awesome way to spend 32 hours in Paris (not tx) while proposing to my GF
The deal: my and my GF, both 25, will be together for 7 years this december.
the past: brilliant, 2 years ago she organised a surprise weekend trip for our anniversary.
The plot: completely blow her away with a surprise-trip to paris and a proposal
The plan:
the day before our anniversary, we'll go visit and stay at a friend's in Brussels, so we don't have to get up at an ungodly hour to catch the train. She however won't know where we're going untill we're actually in the trainstation.
i'd expect to arrive in Paris just before lunch. and we'll be leaving the next day in the late afternoon. i want it to be a bit of a blitz-visit, so we'll have the opportunity to re-visit it, reminisce and really see the town.
i haven't quite figured out how to spend the afternoon? any tips?
In the evening, i was thinking about dining at le coupe chou. And, unless it rains like a motherfucker, propose to her on the pont des arts (which i hope won't be too croudy in the december saturday evenings). if said rain drops, i guess i'd ask it in the restaurant.. not sure on that one.. maybe a bit too showy...
The next day, i was thinking about maybe visiting parts of the louvre or musee d'orsay.. (i'm heavily into art, she can dig and enjoy acessable stuff for an afternoon or so).
And since i want to keep this a secret from my friends here, i'd really appreciate any feedback from fellow forumers. Be it for a good way to spend the afternoon, to comments on the proposal location (i want it to be something specific, one specific spot), the restaurant or the next-day activities.
But really anything that would make a special occasion even more special.
For a hotel i was looking at hotel st jacques for something superfrenchy (kinda over the top flourishes) or perhaps hotel des academies or something else from tripadvisor high-rankers.
Having been a college student for the past 7 years, up untill now, i always was more of a creativity over money value for gifts, and i know going to paris etc can be cliché'ed sometimes, but i'd really like to ace the execution...
i'm willing to spend up to 250 for a hotel room, and about 200 for entertainment and food. more if you've got any truly awesome suggestions.
details:
we'll be travelling using the Thalys.
we both speak french reasonably well
my interest: art, rock and her.
her interest: science, music (classical and brass) and me
TLDR: what's to most awesome way to spend 32 hours in Paris (not tx) while proposing to my GF
The_Glad_Hatter on
0
This discussion has been closed.
Posts
just my 2 cents
I didn't really have a clear plan or location, I just decided to carry the ring around until I found a nice spot to do it. The Eiffel tower is only really a romantic option if you are a film crew and can have the whole place closed off to do a romantic scene for a movie. In reality, it's a tourist clusterfuck and at the top it's so cold and windy she probably wouldn't hear the proposal or care if she did (it's still awesome though, go see it).
In the end, I just proposed in a nice quiet area of the grand couvert - the woodland area of the gardens in front of the louvre and it was pretty much perfect. That was in spring, but that area would probably be pretty beautiful at this time of year if the autumn fall has started.
I was there last November and you couldn't go to the top.
If she's keen on science maybe try the science museum? its hands on and those kinds of museum are alot of fun.
This website has a brief description of the 6 most popular attractions in Paris
http://gofrance.about.com/od/parisattractions/tp/attractions.htm
I'd avoid the Moulan Rouge its apparently a big disappointment (and tiny) but some sort of Burlesque show could be quite entertaining.
I'd avoid propossing in a resaurant - you'd be suprised at how noisy they get so shouting 'Will you marry me' at the top of your lungs may take away a little. If its raining maybe see if you can get a box at a theatre or something and propose there overlooking the stage.
Hope this helps.
wow, thanks a million times szechuano! i hadn't even thought of that! brilliant tip! i hadn't given a moment's thought to that... that would've been a huge let-down...
amythelibrarian,
i'll look into the sites of d'orsay and le louvre to make a better call. I've done an MA in arts, she hasn't. Maybe to louvre is a bit more accessable.. also something i hadn't considered.
Once i'm back from work i'll look up if you can visit the eifel tower in the evening. I was a bit afraid it'd be a bit too cliché or touristy of a place to propose...
thanks for all the tips guys, please keep 'em comin'. goin' ring-hunting this afternoon.
On the other hand, a short walk away is this. Go straight down the stairs and you'll easily be able to find a romantic and secluded place. Do it at night and the Tower will even sparkle for you on the hour and look precisely like this.
Personally I found the Louvre to be a bit overwhelming. They pack the walls with art, most of it not that fantastic, and you need to sprint to see interesting things in a short time frame due to them being placed at opposite ends of the museum. I love d'orsay and musee de l'Orangerie. I know that most of them are closed one day a week, make sure you don't end up there on that day.
1: It's so freaking high that when you are right at the foot of it, it almost appears to bend over you. I hear it's spectacular in a way that skyscrapers are not.
2: At night it has some sort of a strobe light spectacle. Try to find it on youtube...but from what I remember it seems to have a light on every freaking joint of the construct and they all flash for a few seconds.
It sounds to me that you have a pretty awesome plan. Best of luck, and be sure to tell us about any hitches you experience
yeah my lady surprised me with #2....(hehe that sounds so dirty) I believe it started at 7PM every night and was done either every quarter hour or every half hour for a minute or two. and yeah it is certainly special in a way that skyscrapers aren't.
they put the lights in for the big 2K new years and guess it was such a big hit they kept it. I didn't know about it so it was such a surprise when she nonchalantly brought me there one night and BAM the thing is sparkling! I was like HOLY SHIT! nice impact on that one if you don't know it is coming.
Steam
XBOX
However, you should try to give yourself a full day there. I'd love a week, but I doubt you'll have time for that.
In order to avoid metal detectors I slipped the ring inside my umbrella (they had folks passing their umbrellas around the detectors, not through). I was like a goddamn ninja. That said I think the advice regarding metal detectors above is spot-on - neither of our rings has set off an airport detector, so I think you'll be okay with it on you.
I ended up proposing in the courtyard of Notre Dame, which worked out pretty well - nice identifiable location but not as 'obvious' as the tower. Plenty of nearby cafes and whatnot, where we were able to go and buy some champagne to celebrate.
Regarding the museum debate, personally I would strongly recommend Musee D'orsee over the Louve, primarily because you can actually see pretty much everything in d'orsee in a day. If you wanted to see everything in the Louve it would take 2-3 days minimum, imo. It does have some very cool exhibits but don't expect to see it all. Ultimately I guess it comes down to whether you like expressionist paintings - if so, go to Musee D'orsee, if not go to the Louve.
I'm sure you'll have a great time; good luck with the proposal.
Good thing. I'm from Paris, Texas and there really isn't a good way to spend 32 hours there.
I'd say, an early (nice) dinner that evening, some sort of concert/show that she'd enjoy afterwards (or switch the order of the concert and food) followed up by proposing at night under the moon on some stone bridge.
Be standing together side by side looking out over the water and take a step back and kneel down on one knee while she's still looking the other way, say her name, when she turns around you're down on one knee and she FREAKS (in a good way).
Fuck.
I might try to avoid the Louvre under such a time restraint. The place is fucking massive and you'll feel cheated if you only get 4 hours there. On the other hand, if you don't think you'll be back in Paris anytime in your life, duh, go.
Take a boat down the Thames. Pretty sights.
This, unless the ring isn't gold and is a cheaper metal like nickle but I doubt that.
I think i'll skip the louvre and climbing the eiffel tower for now (paris is only a 4 hour trainride away from here, so i hope to return again). so i'm thinking orsay is the way to go, since the collection looks a bit more accessable than l'orangerie..
the reviews i read for the science museum weren't exactly stellar.
i'm reading up and considering the boat rides, preferable one WITH info, not just a floating busride.
Good call on the concert/ opera rockmonkey. According to tripadvisor. the opera palace is supposed to be amazing. and having her turn around and quickly kneeling whas exactly what i had in mind
and the tips on the sparkling eiffel tower are brilliant. Of the logistics allow it, i'd love to be walking there and cue the sparkly lights.. that's like +1000 XP...
I really appreciate all of your feedback. Since i wanna keep it under wraps to everyone i know here, it's hard to be planning something this big without any form of tips or feedback. I know life's not about perfect trips and expensive stuff, but damnit, i wanna get this right
i've concluded i'd rather spend more on this weekend and less on the engagement ring. I was looking around and most cost hundres of euros.. (want white gold) So maybe i can get away with a nice matte silver ring, and leave the gold for the actual wedding rings. what say ye?
She's not exactly a jewelry nut, and she defenately doens't want a big bulky rock on her finger.
oh, and as for getting the size right, in a moment of brilliance i measured her fingers months ago when we moved together, so that i'd never have to worry about that
If she's not picky and doesn't want her engagement and wedding rings to match (the sterling and white gold won't match) and doesn't mind a silver band (do not put a diamond in sterling, if you have a diamond put it in gold and don't get a cz unless you know she won't care because trust me, you can tell the difference) as an engagement ring then go for it. You're the only one who would know if that's what she wants. I have a gf who got a white gold and amethyst engagement ring because she hates diamonds and loves purple so people do get unique rings. That being said, getting a silver engagement ring appears to be, well, cheap.
Nothing's forgotten, nothing is ever forgotten
for the record she is not a jewelry type girl
when looking at stones if going diamond definitely go for quality over size. i went for a super clear stone with good cuts but it was only .7 carets and it was way nicer than bigger stones i saw. cheaper too
This sounds like an awesome idea. Few questions though.
Passports? Does she have one? If she doesn't have one, can you get in/out of the country?
Does she have that time free? My ex-gf tried to surprise me once, but had this big huge work project that was paying a lot and screwed everything up. Anniversary is good, since she is already probably planning on spending the entire weekend with you?
Have you ever been to France or another country before?
how do you do this?
Have a wonderful time, man.
If you decide to walk be aware that the museums are a good distance from the Eiffel tower.
A bag search could still expose his ruse for what it is though.
plus a simple why don't you wait over there for me honey, this won't take a minute will get her away from his bag if he is that worried
Maybe a little bit of advice from my own experience. Though proposing is definitely exciting, don't freak out about it too much. It's not the location, the lighting, or anything external that really counts, but the sincerity with which you show how much you would really like to spend the rest of your life with this girl.
If she feels the same way, the location will be most likely the last thing on her mind when you pop the question.
It's a really fun addition, though!
Good luck!
EDIT: Also, hello, fellow Waffle
Personally, I'd say minimize your time in the museums. They're cool if you're really into art, but by far the best part of Paris is just walking around and exploring the city, in particular:
Personally, I'd avoid proposing at the Eiffel Tower. It's a bit cliche, and at night it devolves into a bunch of people getting drunk and dry humping on the grass of the Parc du Champs Mars.
Also, this is very important, don't be afraid to get lost! This is Paris, and for the most part there's something going on everywhere, and the discovery of something interesting and exciting as you wander can be very fun. If you don't know where you are, remember this phrase, "Pardonnez-moi, où est le métro?" (Excuse me, where is the metro?).
The metro has a stop roughly every 500m, so it's virtually impossible to get so lost you can't find your way back, and it closes late, around 1 or 2am depending on the day (and if you stay out past then, there's always the night bus, though that can be a bit more confusing. Maybe for that you'll want a map)
Have fun!
EU= no passports required
on her being free: I've been toying around with this idea since march, and i subtley dropped the fact that she should take the week before our anniversary off (she had some spare off days)
We've both been to france/ abroad on many occasions.. Crossing a country border for us is is like crossing a state line for you guys..
and as for getting the ring size; easy peasey. I just asked her a long long time ago. "i don't wanna be messing around with sizes if i ever wanna propose, so let me measure your ring size. And NO, i'm not going to be proposing any time soon". I wrote the size on a piece of paper and put it in my desk drawer. tadaa. measuring it up was a funny situation AND it turned out to be practical..
Stalin, thanks for the local advice. 'll be sure to mark those areas on my map (getting a moleskine cityguide to assure all goes well
Could you perhaps tell me of le pont des arts get croudy on a winter's saturday evening?
i'm still thinking about proposing there since it's directly between the hotel, the restaurant and l'arc du triomphe (so going to the arc, then the bridge and then dinner).
Lizz, i'm not freaking out about proposing, it's more of wanting to do something awesome, and the time for a proposal is right.. The proposal is just turning the date up to 11.. (or vice versa)
also, combining our anniversary and our engagement = less dates to remember...
nice to meet a fellow waffle on here.
And on the rings, i always get the feeling that ring/ rock size is more of a big deal in the US than it is here in europe/ humble belgium... i'm still pondering on those matte sterling rings i saw (matte gold + design is hugely expensive.. And this morning's car accident doesn't really make me feel like spending hundreds on a "temporary" ring). For me, the moment/ the idea goes before the engagement ring, altough i'd love to get some more ladies to pitch in on this idea.
and yes, i promise to update the thread afterwards
There's a good chance it will be, and on a bridge that small it might pose a problem. If you want another footbridge, also consider Leopold Sedar Senghor (Solférino), which is a short walk downstream along the river (between Orsay and Tuileries), the third bridge from des artes, because it's almost always less crowded (and I don't like those douchebag painters on des artes)
I respectfully disagree and will take the counter point here. It's a symbol; a symbol of every lasting and infinite love shared between to people. It doesn't matter what it looks like, it's the thought that counts.
Everything went super-smooth.
restaurant and hotel were perfect,
arc du triomphe was nice.
Laduree the best tearoom i've ever been to.
Musee D'orsay was amazing
And the proposal on the middle of the pond des arts was ACE! (she said yes.. )