Jenny's diary

Jenny is 23, and a writer. She grew up in Bewdley, Worcestershire before moving to Merseyside. She now works and studies at Liverpool John Moores University, which is where she met her fiancé, Paul. He was born in Liverpool, is 23, and is also a writer.

How we met

Paul and I met in the first year of Uni. There was a spark between us from the moment we saw each other (you know – that all important “Fworr” moment…) but for six months we were too shy to ask each other out. Paul finally plucked up the courage to talk to me when we had a field trip to an Iron Age Roundhouse in North Wales, for an evening of storytelling.

When the tales had all been told, and our friends all drifted off to bed, we finally got the chance to get to know each other properly. By the light of the campfire, we huddled under a blanket and listened to the sounds from the woods outside. He was so deep and thoughtful. We talked all through the night, about all kinds of things - by the time we both decided to get some sleep, it was already light again outside.

From that day on, I knew Paul was the man for me!

The proposal

We’d been together for two years when Paul decided to pop the question. After graduating in July 2002, we went on a romantic holiday in Cornwall. I had been to Crantock Bay with my family before, and it’s my favourite place in the whole world. It’s often wild and windswept (and brilliant for surfing!) but it can also be tranquil, like a tropical paradise. He must have planned the proposal for weeks.

One perfect evening, he took me on a cliff-top walk at sunset. We sat at the end of the headland together, watching the sun melt into the sea. The waves frothed on the rocks below, and the wind was warm and fresh.

I stared out at the horizon and said, “Last time I was right here, I was watching the sunset and wishing you were with me.” Then he turned and faced me. He looked really serious, and said: “And I bet you never thought that one day I would be here, sitting right beside you and asking you to marry me…”

I couldn’t speak for a moment, and he got down on one knee, and asked me again. “Will you marry me?” When I could find my voice, I gave him a massive hug and said “Yes, of course I will!” I’d never been so sure about anything in my whole life, and I’d never been so happy.