11 Real Proposals With Plot Twists We Couldn’t See Coming

Proposing is a big moment—and for these couples, it came with plenty of surprises. Some were emotional, some were awkward, and a few didn’t go quite as planned. But each one became a story they’re not likely to forget.

• I was in Costa Rica on a hike to a big waterfall through an animal conservation area. A guy also hiking asked if I could take a picture of him surprising his GF with a proposal. He was so nervous.
  We kept walking by small water features, and then eventually a larger man-made waterfall. He gave me the signal and walked her under this glorified fountain and proposed. It was sweet and all, and she said yes.
  A few more miles into the hike, we saw the real giant waterfall. It was awesome. The look on his face when he saw it was pure disappointment, like he had really screwed up.
  I pulled him aside and reminded him that she said yes and didn’t know his plan. He told her how sorry he was for screwing up. I hope it is now a funny story in their happy life. — oscarbutnotthegrouch / Reddit
• Mom went to visit Dad, and his next-door neighbor asked, “I don’t mean to pry, but what are you and [Dad’s name]? Like, are you dating, engaged, or what?” And Mom said that was a good question and asked Dad, “Your neighbor wants to know if we’re dating or engaged or what.”
  He asked if she’d like to be; she said, “Engaged, you mean?” He said that was what he meant, and she said yes, and they went to buy a ring. — eclectic-worlds / Reddit
• We were on a cross-country trip—moving back to the West Coast. Our last stop of the trip was in Las Vegas. From our hotel window, we could see one of those little chapel places. I asked her (half kidding) if she wanted to go get a “quickie marriage” before the trip was over. She refused with a fair amount of snark.
  An hour later, I took the ring out of my suitcase and asked for real. So technically, she said no before she said yes. — petchiefa / Reddit

• Had a big plan to take her hiking in the mountains up this trail that leads to a lake, all around sunrise.
  Few problems:
  -The trail, despite being labeled as “moderate” difficulty, was more of a 1-mile very hard hike followed by a few miles of a very easy one.
  -I underestimated the MASSIVE elevation difference.
  -Despite exercising occasionally and being a casual hiker years prior, I apparently was not as in shape as I thought.
  We get to the trailhead at like 4 am, sun just peeking out, and not a soul in sight, ring stowed in my gear. We started at a pace that was far too ambitious and quickly deteriorated after about 15 minutes. Partner was a tad winded, but she was holding her own. I, on the other hand, was bent over, gasping for air. Near the point of collapsing in a wheezing heap, almost puking, we pulled off to the side for our 3rd break.
  I knew at that point I was not going to be able to finish this hike. So, possibly in my oxygen-deprived state, I get down on one knee, pull out the ring, and propose in what I can only imagine was the crappiest part of some dense forest next to a trail of dirt.
  She looked at me for a LONG few seconds, worried that my graceful flop to a knee was me about to lose consciousness. Then I nearly puked again from the exhaustion. We have been married for 4 years happily. — Antiumbra / Reddit
• My mom said no to my dad many times. After 6 months of him asking repeatedly, she finally said yes because she was sick of him asking. They have been together now for 27 years, and that’s 27 years too long. Absolutely hate each other but won’t do anything about it. — Znyx_ / Reddit

• Our hot air balloon pilot told a great story about a guy who rented out the entire balloon for the proposal, even managing to bring along a photographer as his “best friend from out of town.”
  Midflight, he gets down on one knee and proposes; she looks horrified and FLINGS the engagement ring over the side. All caught with photo proof. Very quiet return trip, and no tip, per the pilot. — aloneintheupwoods / Reddit
• We had talked about marriage before. I told her I wasn’t ready just yet, and that I thought we weren’t ready just yet, and we should wait a bit. She said that if I didn’t want to marry her, there were plenty of guys she would be able to find who would, and that her parents kept introducing her to these men (until then she hadn’t told her parents about me coz they were very conservative and old school).
  Proposed on our next vacation a few weeks later. She said, “I’m not sure,” at that exact moment when I got down on one knee and gave her the ring. Then she said yes. Then she said, “I’m not sure” again, a couple of hours later. Then we went to sleep, and the next morning she said yes again.
  Cut to us calling off the wedding 3 months before the date. In hindsight, I probably should have called it off immediately at the time of the proposal. — sinistadilly / Reddit
• I asked her after 3 years of being together. We had previously talked about marriage, and I had bought a measuring tool to get our ring sizes because we both don’t wear jewelry. She was part of that whole process.
  I ordered the rings, waited a few weeks, and proposed in her apartment. She said she wasn’t sure because we hadn’t even been living together and we both were still in uni. So I was heartbroken, but it just wasn’t the right timing.
  When we eventually did move in together, I asked her again on a trip to Bruges, and she said, “Yes, now blow out the candles; the smoke alarm’s going to go off.” Got married on August 23. — arinac2699 / Reddit

• My parents were only dating for 6 months when they found out my older sibling was on the way. They agreed to keep the baby.
  Turns out, Mom had assumed that “keeping the baby” meant “moving in together,” whereas Dad was a traditionalist and assumed they should make things legal if they were starting a family. Dad, accordingly, got down on one knee and proposed marriage. Mom, surprised, said no.
  But after further discussion along the lines of “yes, I’m serious,” he asked again, and she said yes. They’ve been married 37 years now. — thefuzzybunny1 / Reddit
• My parents met when they both ended up working at the same Jersey Shore hotel in college. They dated for 4 years and never once had a “define the relationship” conversation. This was the 70s, and they dated long distance during the school year and would work at the same hotel each summer. They’d write letters and such, but literally never defined the relationship.
  My mom graduated first and moved to my dad’s college town and got a job at the mall. Still, never defined the relationship. One day, shortly after my dad graduated, her friend got engaged, and she mentioned it to my dad.
  The next day, he proposed. Again, never talked about marriage, never defined the relationship. She tells him, “I’ll think about it.” I guess because she wanted some sense of autonomy?
  Later that day, they went out for a date, and she goes, “Don’t you have something to ask me?” And he asked her again, and she said yes. They’ve been married, I think, 49 years now, lol. My dad says he was always waiting to be done with college to propose! — merelala / Reddit
• My mom got pregnant unexpectedly. My dad wasn’t supposed to be able to have children (and had a previously failed marriage because of it), so it was a huge shock. He proposed, and my mom said no, that she didn’t want to get married just because she was pregnant; she wanted to get married for love.
  Well, my dad loves her and proved it, and now they’ve been married for 29 years!! — Mariellemarie / Reddit

Not every proposal ends with a walk down the aisle, but each of these moments left its mark. Some led to forever, and some became just a wild story to tell.