Donna and Matt Real Engagement Story

It was my birthday and we couldn’t really afford big presents that year as we were saving for a deposit on our flat. Matt had been acting strangely and had banned me from leaving the bedroom after I’d gone up to bed – he said it was a surprise and I could leave the room in the morning.

We were staying with his mum and dad as I dont have any surviving parents and my dad had recently died so Matt and his family are very protective of me anyway. My birthday morning arrived on 11 March and I got up like a child jumping on the bed and wanting to open my cards. Matt reluctantly woke up and handed me a piece of paper (a post-it note!) with a clue saying ‘your present is hidden where your shoes are kept’. It was 7.30 in the morning and I was in no mood for games but I though he was making a special effort because we couldn’t afford much. I went to the shoe cupboard to find a box and as I opened the box I saw a pink rose taped in sude with another clue to our coat cupboard, another box, another rose, another clue… This went on for another six boxes until the last one said ‘your present is in the place where you sleep’. As I went back up the stairs and walk into the bedroom, there was a pink rose and a small black box on my pillow. Inside the black box was my final message… ‘will you marry me?’. I gasped and was speechless. Matt came in from the bathroom and we were both in tears. His mum and dad knew all along and were so happy for us. We’re planning a small wedding in 2007 and we can’t wait!