Go Big or Go Home: An Engagement Story

Originally posted on the Social Tables blog by Julia Damon

Today we have for you a beautiful engagement story that was sent in to us. Names have been changed but all other details remain the same. Enjoy :) 

It all began when we met at a charity fundraiser in D.C. four years ago, and we then started dating last July.  Since we've been friends for a while, things were moving fast.  I didn't want to fall victim to confirmation bias --- an anomaly in behavioral economics/psychology where people make decisions based only on their most recently acquired information.  So, we broke up. 

After weeks of solitude, I came to my conclusion.  Go Big or Go Home.  One afternoon in November, I went to visit her father and asked him for his daughter’s hand in marriage.  He agreed (fortunately!), but I told him not to tell her because I wanted to surprise her. In fact, she was leaving for Argentina on a business trip later that week, and I wanted to propose to her abroad.

So he and I hatched plan. He would tell Sonia he was worried for her safety, and would find out her hotel and flight information. He would then secretly relay this information to me. Time was short since he himself was leaving for India the next morning. 

I booked a ticket to Buenos Aires for the next day ($$$ouch$$$) and received his phone call on my way to the airport. I landed one day before she arrived, and waited for her in her hotel lobby. While she was busy checking in, I popped a dozen pink roses in front of her face. She at first thought I was a flower boy from the streets of Buenos Aires, hawking cheap roses to unwitting strangers. So she was flabbergasted when she realized it was me (though I had indeed bought the roses from a flower boy from the streets of Buenos Aires, who was hawking cheap roses to unwitting strangers).

I told her to get ready for dinner that night --- we are going dancing. I had an elaborate plan that was on a tight schedule, so I insisted she show up on time. She did and she looked beautiful. The plan was to propose in the rose garden in Buenos Aires over sunset. 

Our driver was unfortunately not cooperating since he was on Latin American time, running very late, and the sun was about to set. By the time we arrived at rose garden, it was completely dark and the garden itself was closed. I was furious at the driver --- what a loser!

Fortunately, I resorted to plan B. I told our incompetent driver to take us to a restaurant near the main river just outside the city. It was a beautiful venue located almost in the middle of the river. Since people in Argentina dine late, we had the restaurant to ourselves at 8:00 p.m. When we sat down, I knew I had to pop the question.  But despite my years of public speaking, I was visibly nervous.  After all, we weren't even technically dating anymore!  What if she said no?  Do I leave?  Go back to the US?  Still pay for dinner?

She was getting annoyed, wondering why I was distracted and not listening to her.  When she returned from the bathroom, it was decision time.  Go Big or Go Home.  I kneeled and asked.  She burst into tears and said yes. 

We immediately called our parents. Sonia’s parents were both in India. Her father already knew, but he did a stellar job keeping the secret. Her mom was meditating on a spiritual retreat, and so the news didn't faze her at all!  My parents were relieved. They had not heard from me in days, and were worried she had said no and that I was spending the rest of my time with therapists (an industry that blossomed in Argentina after the most recent economic crisis). Nonetheless, my parents were thrilled. They had been waiting for this forever - literally.

So there you have it, go big or go home and great things can happen!