Willem and Danielle

Last night I met the woman I'm going to marry!"

These were my words to my brother early January 2005 upon him asking how my weekend was. After some convincing Danielle and I started going out on June 17th that same year. I now know what love at first sight is...

On the 13th of February 2009 we got engaged! Just 4 days shy of being together a wonderful total of 44 months. I felt the time was never going to be as right to ask Danielle to marry me and she said yes.

My planning started in October the previous year and I must admit that it couldn't have turned out any better! Everything was perfect for the perfect woman!

Our engagement was pre-empted with a lot of lying and misleading. Close to the end of January I informed my then girlfriend that my sister has invited the family to come and spend Valentines weekend on their new farm in Hoedspruit. It was also my sister's birthday so we had little choice but to go. I apologized for not being able to do something special with her on Valentines as it was quite a big day in our relationship. She was disappointed but accepted it nonetheless.

I then proceeded to phone/email my entire family to tell them that I am taking Danielle on a special Valentines weekend to a lodge near Nylstroom where I grew up - Metsi Metsi Country Lodge. They must just stick with the story of going to my sister's farm and how much fun it will be. Luckily everybody played along and she didn't expect a thing.

Meanwhile I found the perfect design for her ring and asked my cousin to make it for me to be ready the morning of 13 February as she is a very talented and qualified jewelry designer.

Almost everything was in place - Danielle thought we were going to my sister; My family thought we were going on a Valentines weekend; I made the booking at the lodge & the ring would be ready in time.

I took Friday off from work and met up with the future in-laws in order to ask for Danielle's hand in marriage. I was very nervous, but everything turned out well and I was on my way to fetch the ring from my cousin. I got the most beautiful ring in the world and went home to start packing. Danielle was meeting me at around 14h00 and I had to be ready!

I also bought some normal Valentines gifts like chocolates, candles, teddy bear, etc. The ring was in a small velvet bag. I took a shoebox and put the ring right at the bottom. I then put all the normal Valentines gifts on top which hid the ring. Then I wrapped the box in stunning, shiny & romantic paper & attached a Valentines card on the top with a poem that I had written myself!

Then I wrapped the entire box again with normal birthday paper so that Danielle would think that the present was for my sister:)

She arrived on time and we headed off to my sister. I said to her that there were terrible roadworks on the N4 and thus we would have to take the N1 North. I also asked my Mom to sms her to say we must drive safe. Danielle was completely unaware that her life was about to change...

Danielle fell asleep on the highway which gave me a chance to go through my speech again. She woke up just as I took the off ramp towards Nylstroom. She asked what was going on and I simply smiled and said: "Did you really think I would take you to my family for Valentines?"

She was extremely surprised and excited! I then put on our favorite song and she held my hand the whole way into town. We eventually got to the lodge at about 16h30. It is a 4 star lodge that we have visited in the past as the owners are good family friends. We were also the only guests which made it that much more special.

We took our bags to the suite and proceeded to walk down to the wooden deck overlooking the dam. I had organized a romantic sunset dinner with 3 courses, candles & wine. Everything was made up beautifully and Danielle was blown away - all the while thinking this is a great Valentines!

As the sun was going down and we had finished dessert I said she should open up some presents. She took the shoebox with the crappy paper and opened it up only to be shocked to find a beautiful Valentines card and a much more appropriately wrapped box. She read the card and got a little teary-eyed. Then she opened the box and took out the gifts one by one, I asked her to leave the little bag for last:)

Candles - chocolates - teddy - nightgown - vase ... then she opened up the bag, saw something shining and with a strange expression asked me what this is?

I got up, walked around the table, got down on one knee and took her hand. At this point we were both pretty close to tears. I then gave a little speech which I'm not going to repeat now and she just starting crying, shaking her head and said YES! She continued to cry for about an hour as we enjoyed our first engagement dance under starry skies...

It was the most amazing moment and night of my life and I can not wait to spend the rest of it with my Danielle!

I hope you enjoyed our little fairy tale....