Bride’s Proposal Story

Steve’s dad and step-mom were generous enough to invite us to visit with them in Fiji, so of course we had no objections!  July 7^th of 2007 Steve, Emily and I set off to meet David, Jennifer and Marco in Nadi, Fiji.  When we got there it was early morning and the Rodrigue’s had planned for us to take a day cruise.  It was spectacular!  By far the most amazing beach any of us had ever seen!  The island was a teeny little bit of white sand in the middle of the South Pacific, so small in fact it only took us 10 minutes to walk completely around it.  The next day of the vacation we were set to take a 4 day 3 night cruise around to different islands in the Yasawa chain in Fiji.  The cruise was titled the Blue Lagoon Cruise line so, one guess which island we would eventually stop at…  You got it:  the island where they filmed the movie, The Blue Lagoon. 

Every island we stopped at was gorgeous, wonderful sunsets every night and endless beaches every day.  How could I ask for anything more, right?  Well little did I know that Steve had brought a ring with him to propose!  Our first night on the cruise as the sun was setting, Steve sheepishly asked me to walk with him to the front of the boat.  I didn’t even take notice at the time but it was, oddly enough, sunset.  As we got closer to the front of the ship, the boat started bowing up and down more noticeably and I was getting sprayed with mist from the waves that the moving boat was cutting through –Keep in mind I had no idea he had the ring with him –and I told Steve that I didn’t want to be up there anymore because I was getting wet and it was making me cold.  After several attempts at trying to keep me up there with him, I left Steve and quickly said I couldn’t stay because it was too uncomfortable! 

Much later that night Steve got to feeling sick and left dinner early.  Then he was up all night throwing-up and feeling like he had the flu.  We were both bummed out about it and I was worried that he’d be sick for days.  In the morning he stayed in bed for breakfast while everyone ate.  I hurried back to our room to see if he was okay and he was still in bed feeling yucky.  Everyone else was leaving the ship to go to the island we had arrived at that morning.  I didn’t even think he’d feel good enough to go and I was ready to stay inside with him.  But he got up and said he still wanted to go sit on the beach.

We ended up being the last people to get to shore and David, Marco and Emily were already snorkeling.  Steve said he just wanted to relax for a bit and not get in the water just yet when David came back and said how we should put on our goggles and check out all these beautiful fish on a reef he just saw.  I was excited to go but Steve wasn’t.  Instead he asked me if I wanted to take a walk.  So I said sure, after all we’d have all day to snorkel.  So we started down the beach, hand in hand.  As we started to get farther away, I let go of his hand and started playing in the water.  Steve asked me to come up towards the forest and I quickly replied, “No!  We’ll have all day to go up there.  We’re having lunch in the woods!”  He kept asking me sweetly to please come up to where he was so he could show me something and I kept saying no (geez!).  Finally, I said, “Okay babe.  You’re being so silly!  What do you wanna show me?”  (idiot!)  It was about that time when Steve got down on one knee and pulled out a tiny box.  I instantly felt like a jerk and yet, at the same time was so excited!  He opened the box and told me how much he loved me and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me; all these sweet, heartfelt words.  All I could say was, “Put it on me!  Put it on me!”  He said, “Is that a yes?”  And I said, “Yes!  Put it on me!”  We hugged and kissed, and the rest is history J

Groom's Proposal Story

At the time, Marisa and I had been dating for almost 4 years. I had been saving for the ring for 6 months and barely was able to get it before our upcoming vacation.  We had a trip planned with my dad to Fiji.  Though Marisa knew a proposal was coming, I had her convinced a ring would not be ready before our trip.  Her dad, Larry, had suggested I wrap the ring in cloth, and keep it in my wallet during our travel.  I was so nervous the entire plane rides; constantly checking to insure I still had it; worried the x-ray machine would detect it, and spoil the surprise.  The trip went fine, and so as I arrived, I unloaded the rock with my dad into the safe in his room.  They saw it and thought it was beautiful!  We immediately took a day cruise the following morning, and I left the ring in the safe, thinking later in the trip would be a better time to propose. 

The next day we boarded a cruise ship, heading out for a 4-5 day cruise to the Blue Lagoon (a perfect location I thought).  That night as the sun set, I thought I would propose to her on the front of the cruise ship, right as the sun was setting.  I got the ring from the safe in our room, and asked her to take a walk with me along the side of the ship.  We walked slowly, hand and hand, till we got to the front of the boat.  The sun was setting, and it was the most beautiful sunset of the entire trip.  We held and kissed each other as the waves started splashing us slightly.  Right before I got down on my knee, she said she was getting too wet from the waves.  She walked off and I tried calling her back, but she refused to return.  Inside I laughed, and though, “I guess now isn’t the right time.”  Later that night we had a wonderful time with the family, along with a champagne toast among the guests. 

The next day after our morning activities we landed on the island of Yasawa-I-Rara.  Before going ashore, I grabbed the ring from the safe again, and had to put it in my swimming trunks.  The island was a perfect setting for a proposal!  Lush palm trees, surrounded by beautiful blue waters.  We had plenty of free time to ourselves.  Some went snorkeling, others tanned on the beach.  With the ring in my shorts, I didn’t want to snorkel until I had proposed; for fear that I might lose it.  By this point I was thinking, “I don’t wanna be responsible for this thing anymore… lol!”  So I said, “Babe let’s take a walk first, I don’t feel good.”  And actually I didn’t feel good due to a 24 hour virus I had gotten.  So it was a perfect excuse to get away from the crowds, because everyone went snorkeling right away.  We walked along the beach, hand in hand, as the butterflies in my stomach began a flapping frenzy.  Marisa wanted to walk in the water, but I was set on getting closer to the palm trees, so that we would be out of sight from everyone.  We let go of each other and walked separately for a hundred yards or so.  Then I called to her and said, “Babe come check this out!”  She said, “No I don’t wanna go up there!”  I thought…. “Not again…”  I said again, “Babe, just come take a look at this!”  Again she refused.  I guess 3^rd times a charm.  I said again, “Babe just come here.  Please.  I wanna show you something!”  She laughed and as she headed my way she said, “You’re silly!”  As she got closer I got down on one knee.  “Not so silly now is it? lol” I thought.   I think she said something like, “You brought it?” but I was to busy going over what I was gonna say.  I said, “Marisa Joy Archuleta, I love you with all my heart, will you marry me?”  I’m paraphrasing because I was so nervous; I was almost absent minded as I spoke.  But I remember a clear as day what she said next.  She said, “PUT IT ON ME!” as she stuck her finger out toward me.  I said, “Is that a yes?”  And she said, “YES!  PUT IT ON ME!!!”  Then we walked off and took pictures.  Lastly, my step-mom Jennifer walked back with us to take pictures at the spot I proposed.