Disclaimer: In Real Life is a platform for everyday people to share their experiences and voices. All articles are personal stories and do not necessarily echo In Real Life’s sentiments.
Valentine’s Day is literally just a sleep away, and men are scrambling for flowers, chocolates, or some other gesture to show their love for their special someone. Others are getting ready to make a different gesture – a lifelong commitment to the person they love!
Here are two stories of engagements to remember:
Paintball until death do us part
I am an avid paintballer and have been since I was a teenager, spending almost every weekend covered in paint, sweat, and marker lubricant. I met my husband-to-be when we were Pre-U students at KDU University College. Then we faced each other at Canyon Paintball.
That first meeting at Canyon Paintball sparked an aggressive battlefield style rivalry, and sparks flew. Those became sparks of attraction. A few dates later, love was in the air.
After almost four years as student lovebirds, we moved in together and started our careers. Two years later, he proposed.
The proposal
We were at our usual end-of-month paintball game. It was the last game of the day and 20 sweaty paintballers took to the battle. Markers loaded, and at the referee’s whistle, paint started to fly.
Now because my marker is fully automatic, I always carry a ton of extra ammo. Five minutes in and I was almost out of ammo, which was strange. But I was confident we could still win the war. When my boyfriend charged, I followed. We went straight up the middle as the rest of our teammates poured paint onto enemy-held positions.
I remember in the middle of that charge, paintballs hissing past us as my marker gave the dry cough-splutter of empty. I made it to safety as I heard the “Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!” of enemy paint, splattering into my wooden cover.
“I’m out!” I called.
“Here! Make them count!” My boyfriend slid a hopper of paintballs to me across the ground and he shouted something else to me as I grabbed it. I didn’t make out what he said.
I was too busy trying to reload, but something was causing it to jam: a piece of tape, with something metal on it. I tore off the circular, metal object and threw it in the grass at my feet.
The hopper mated with my marker and I rose, fingers on the trigger, when he shouted something at me again. I was so focused on the match I just shouted right back, “I’m a little busy at the moment!”
Of course, I said yes!
Locked. Loaded. An enemy player was in my crosshairs and then I realized: nobody was shooting, and it had gotten ominously quiet. My brain caught up with the question he had asked.
I turned to look at him. His face guard was up, and he was grinning at me with the smile I fell in love with years ago. I remember lowering my marker, and all I could see was my boyfriend on one knee. He smiled up at me and repeated his question.
… No wonder it was so quiet. I was frozen in place, somewhere between shock, surprise, and amazement. I could hear the sound of my own heartbeat, blood thundering in my ears. Just that almost eerie sound of silence, with everyone watching and waiting.
I wanted to answer but I could not find the words. I couldn’t find the voice to say that one word I so desperately wanted to say.
All I could do at that moment was nod.
I remember party poppers going off, bright blue and green smoke in the air as confetti rained down, and the clattering of paintball markers firing into the air. People were spraying celebratory bottles of champagne.
I remember the rain of paint that covered us in red, green, purple, yellow, and blue.
My closest friends had long joked that any guy who wanted me would have to propose and marry me in a paintball-themed wedding. They were half right. The engagement was as paintballer as it could be.
The wedding? That was a lot more traditional.
We’ll be happily married for five years in April of this year. Hopefully our wedding anniversary will be a paintball game!
I thought our 7 years of dating each other should be commemorated
We dated for a long time. Our seventh anniversary as a couple was fast approaching, and because I had planned to propose on our seventh anniversary, I spent a week building up to that date.
Every day of the week, I recreated the most memorable moments from each year of our relationship. The first day was our first year and so on. I planned that on the 7th day, our actual 7th year anniversary, I would propose to her. I won’t get into the details here, but I’ll give just enough to give inspiration to other people planning their anniversaries and Valentine’s Day.
I planned out 7 days of memorable dates
Each day, I started it by taking her hands in mine, and I’d recall for her the moment we were going to commemorate and what we were going to do beforehand.
The first day was a recreation of our first celebration dinner date. I even managed to get us a booking at the same bistro in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail – Vin’s is STILL there and the food is as good as ever and great value for money.
The second day took us all the way to Port Dickson, where we spent the day enjoying the sun, sand, and the beach – which fortunately for us was not rained out like it was the first time. We also stopped for the famous Seremban Beef Noodles on the way to and from the beach. The small marketplace stall has been around forever, and she loves the noodles there.
On the third day, we were at a dog park, celebrating with our dog “Barkless,” who has quite literally never barked in his life. He’s almost 14 now, and I’ve only heard him woof twice! But we spoiled him rotten with toys, sticks, frisbees, and a picnic in the park.
Then came the anniversary itself.
But I made sure there was a plot twist for the last date…
It was our 7th anniversary and I wanted us to do something that we had never done before. I made reservations for a local “cruise” – literally 2 days and 1 night – from Penang into the open ocean and back again.
We were out on the top deck, there was a gentle breeze blowing, the stars were out, there was music playing from the bar. At my signal, they played her favorite song of the moment (Ed Shereen’s “Perfect”). It was midnight – the day had come.
My proposal was simple, but meaningful
I took her hands in mine like I had done all week, and I told her that I love her and that she meant the world to me. I said that I was prepared to spend the rest of my life with her. Then, I knelt down and asked her the question: would she marry me?
There were tears in her eyes as she said yes, and we held each other tight, kissing and crying. When we got back to the bar, we were served champagne and the bartender took some photos of us. After that, we just held hands and shared smiles and coy glances like new lovers under a star-filled sky.
The night was perfect.
Love is in the air – whether romantic or platonic!
These gentlemen have set the bar really, really high for the rest of us. Here’s hoping somebody gets inspired to ask the special someone in their life this all-important question this coming Valentine’s Day.
We wish everyone a day full of love, laughter, and happiness whether you’re single or taken!
For more stories like this, read: “How did you meet?” 3 Malaysian share the first time they met the love of their life. and 4 Older Malaysian Couples Share Their Secrets To A Long-lasting Marriage.
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