Just four little words: Will you marry me? How many ways can it be said? We were amused and amazed to hear these creative proposal stories, which required weeks of planning, tons of ingenuity and even some risk-taking – You’ll never believe where one potential groom hid the ring! P.S. - They all said yes!

Lindsey was proposed to in the Cayman Islands in February.

My boyfriend had hidden a ring at the bottom of the ocean in a small brown box that resembled a treasure chest. Then he took me out snorkeling! He told me there was a nice conch to go look at over by the anchor of the boat and that we should go check it out.

Guess what I came upon! There was a ring shining at the bottom of the ocean. So I had to actually dive for my engagement ring. (Then I lost it later at Stingray City and had to dive for it again, which is a whole other story).

Graham said he knew that he was going to hide my ring at the bottom of the ocean and picked out one with starfish, fish and coral on it so he would always know where I found it.

Nathan flew to Italy to surprise his girlfriend Lauren with a proposal.

I proposed to my wife at the end of our last year of college. She was traveling to Italy for a two-week literature course and I told her that I had to travel to Atlanta for a potential internship. My real plan was to travel to Italy so I could surprise her in Rome. I worked out the details with the sponsoring professor and a friend who was also going to be on the trip.

Their first day in Rome the group went site seeing and was scheduled to meet at the Trevi Fountain by 7:00 PM. She actually walked right by me earlier in the day in another part of the city but I was able to duck into an alley and avoid being seen too soon.

That night I found a spot at the highest point of the Trevi Fountain so I could see her in the crowd. We actually found each other at the same time. She was in complete disbelief the whole time.

Lori was proposed to during a Christmas song.

My boyfriend and I went to see his father perform the Holiday Show at Severance Hall because he sings with the Cleveland Orchestra choir. My parents, his mom and a few others came with us. During the “12 Days of Christmas” choir members came into the audience and asked for audience members to stand up and sing the part of "five gold rings" while the choir sang the rest.

When they got to the 11th day of Christmas David’s dad handed him the microphone and David got up and "One gold ring." The conductor corrected him and said, “No it is "five gold rings." David said, “I am sorry I got it wrong. Let me try again. “He started to sing “five gold rings” but he stopped and said, “I am just not feeling the five gold rings. I am not sure it is five. I am not sure they are gold. I think it is just one ring and I think it is just one diamond ring.” The place went nuts and he got down on one knee and proposed!

Afterwards we all gathered in the lobby and it felt like everyone in the hall came up to us and gave David a high five or congratulated us both. Everyone’s reactions were really amazing. Needless to say, it was the most amazing night of my life!

Tom dressed up his friends to propose to Beth, his girlfriend of five years, on her birthday. Her friend wrote to tell us about it.

Tom took Beth to Il Fornaio, a restaurant with gorgeous views of the San Diego skyline, to celebrate her birthday. They had just sat down when Tom excused himself to go to the bathroom. They're "luckily" seated by the window, so she did some people watching while she waited for Tom. A few minutes go by, and Beth sees Tom out the window, holding big sheets of paper. Behind him are four of their closest friends in strange costumes.

Tom flips over one of the cards, which reads, “I’m not the fastest” and their friend Caley, in a tracksuit and headband runs in circles around him.
He throws that card aside and the next says, “I’m not the smartest” and their friend Allan walks by dressed as Yoda. The next card says, “I’m not the strongest,” and Jason, decked out in a Gold’s Gym T-Shirt and wrestling tights, wearing a fake handlebar mustache and carrying chains, breaks the chains and kisses his biceps. And then, “I’m not even the coolest,” with Jim, dressed as James Dean, complete with cigarette box in sleeve, slicks back his hair with a comb and smokes a cigarette. By this time, everyone in the restaurant has stopped talking and eating and is staring out the window, watching the spectacle unfold.
The next card reads, “But I am what I am,” and the next “And all that I am, I give to you.” Then he’s down on one knee with the final card, which reads, “Will You Marry Me?” Beth, of course, nods yes through the window and the entire restaurant explodes in applause and catcalls. After she nods, each friends holds up a sign that say “open the box." She tears open a large present sitting on the table to find the ring of her dreams located in a smaller ring box. Meanwhile, Tom is rushing around the side of the building, hopping a fence to get to her as the fence was locked. After what probably seemed forever, Beth hears applause and congratulations throughout the restaurant and knows that Tom had finally arrived.

Matt proposed to Erica at The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, which already had a special place in her heart. Her grandfather played at the Grand Ole Opry when it was in Ryman Auditorium, she did a paper on her grandfather and one on the Grand Ole Opry in grad school. Although the Opry is now in the Grand Old Opry House, during the holidays they played a special engagement at the Ryman and Matt bought tickets to the show.

Matt arranged for an usher to take two photos of us after the show when everyone had cleared out of the auditorium. Just before the second photo was taken, Matt handed me a card. After I read it, he said, "I know that the Ryman holds a lot of family history for you, and I wanted our family history to start here too." He then got down on his knee, pulled out a beautiful engagement ring, and asked me to marry him. It would be a sweet story even if it stopped there, but Matt had planned much more.

We went out to the lobby of the Ryman, where my parents and sister were waiting for us. He had invited them to be a part of our special night. After we took photos with them, he took me outside, where a limousine was waiting to take us on a three-hour tour of Nashville's Christmas lights. During the limo ride, we were able to delight in our engagement, talk, be goofy, and call friends and family to share the news. I thought the night was over when the limo pulled into the driveway, but Matt had one more special surprise for me.

Since the proposal was a surprise, Matt wanted me to have the chance to see how it all came together. So he made a video during the week leading up to the proposal. It recorded his family's reaction to finding out the news (they live near Baltimore, so they weren't going to be there to see the actual event). It also recorded his thoughts and feelings leading up to the proposal, interviews with his family, interviews with my family, and footage of his plane trip to Nashville to pop the question. It was amazing, and it means so much to me to have something that captures the excitement of that week.

Matt and I were married in October 2006. It was a wonderful day that started with a wonderful proposal.

Allison saw her names in lights for her proposal.

It was August 18th this past summer, and my boyfriend of 2 ½ years had asked me to meet for lunch that Friday. I told him we’d have to make it quick, as I had just started a new job the week prior. So we went to Edrito’s, a little Mexican place right outside my office building where we had first met. We are finishing up lunch when Carl asks me if I want to take a walk. I said, “No, not really.” He says, “Come on, it’s a nice day, just for a bit.” Finally he talks me into it.

We proceed walking down Main Street, toward Shea’s Performing Arts Center. As we approach Shea’s, I glance up at the marquee, think I see my name, but it doesn’t register at all (I mean, why would it?), so we keep walking. Then Carl said, “Hey honey, what’s that show that’s coming next season?” I glance up at the marquee to read this message: My Big Fat Polish-Italian Wedding, starring Allison Sardina as the bride and Carl Conte as the groom. Coming Summer 2007.”

In disbelief, I look at him and start rambling, “Umm honey, why does the marquee say that?” And there he is, in the middle of Main Street, down on one knee with a ring asking me to marry him. I keep on rambling, “Are you serious,” to which Carl said, “Yes I’m serious. Can you please answer me?”

Of course I say yes, we hug, and a few people enjoying lunch outside are watching and clapping for us. Then I see Carl’s father walking toward us with his camera. We’re talking for a few seconds, then Carl said, “Honey, do you know those people over there?” pointing toward a bench a few feet away. I look over to see three people holding newspapers over their faces. As they lower the papers, I see that it’s my mom, dad and Carl’s mom. Amazing. So they come over, hug and congratulate us. The entire time, I am at a loss for words, shaking and sweating. There are a dozen roses for me, and of course, I am in such a state of shock and I say through happy tears, “I can’t go back to work now!” And Carl replies, “You don’t have to. I already talked to your boss and you have the rest of the afternoon off.”

It was incredible. I look down at my hands, noticing my nails are a mess, when Carl says, “I made you a nail appointment at 2:30, so you’re all set.” I was in complete disbelief. After that, we had some champagne with our parents, and I went to my nail appointment.

Carl also mentioned that we had to get home because we had dinner reservations at 6 p.m. So as we get home just after 5:30, I’m thinking I have about 10 minutes to freshen up and find something to wear. As I run in the house, I notice a candle burning on our kitchen table. The table is all set with white linens, crystal and candles. Our favorite caterer is in our kitchen making dinner for us. We enjoyed tenderloin and lobster tail and quite a bit of wine and champagne. And there were bridal magazines strewn about the house. We’re getting married October 13, 2007 in Buffalo, New York.