Movies are idealised versions of our messy, no-quite-so-perfect reality. This includes marriage proposals, which are often even grander and more emotionally satisfying on the screen. Here are some of the best marriage proposals through the ages.
1. Love Actually
This proposal is all about the power of love. Despite never having spoken a word the other could understand, Jamie and Aurelia feel a connection, leading both to attempt to learn the other’s language. We can’t help but melt as her entire town follows him as he searches for Aurelia and proposes to her in clumsy Portuguese and she says yes in equally clumsy English.
2. Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason
After two whole movies watching these two be on and off depending on which frustrating mishap or misunderstanding has happened, we finally get a typically Bridget awkward proposal. After interrupting Mark’s meeting to ask him to take her back, Bridget awkwardly leaves only to be met with a proposal from Mark in the hallway, even repeating it to make it slightly more perfect.
3. Sex and the City
Big and Carrie were the biggest ‘will they, won’ they’ couples of the 1990s. While the couple’s first proposal is dull and uninspiring, after their first attempt at a wedding didn’t go as planned we got the proposal we deserved. Carrie deserved nothing short of a proposal in a beautiful penthouse apartment with the perfect Manolo Blahnick heels.
4. Walk the Line
There is no bigger proposal than one that takes place on stage in front of everyone. Although this isn’t the first proposal throughout the movie, as Johnny is relentless despite June’s protests, it is the one where she says yes. Some may call it peer pressure (how can you say no to that blackmail?) but for the sake of fantasy, we’re chalking this up to a grand gesture.
5. The Proposal
This one had to make the list, the entire movie is premised on the concept of a proposal! While Margaret’s deal with Andrew is a kind of proposal, the real heart-warmer is that Andrew’s declaration of love comes after an antagonistic relationship grows into love with him finally asking her to “Marry me…because I’d like to date you.”
6. He’s Just Not That Into You
This entire movie about relationships involves many characters, but the most down-to-Earth, frustrating pair are Neil and Beth. Neil doesn’t believe in marriage and after an ultimatum by Beth, they break-up and he lives a sad life on his boat. After proving he is more of a husband not married to her than her sisters’ real husbands, Beth takes Neil back. While that may have been a sweet ending in itself, the best moment comes when Neil proposes using a pair of cargo pants Beth hates. “Check the pocket first,” he says, where she finds the ring box. He drops to a knee and asks, “Will you marry me?” and she says, “Of course.”
7. About Time
This simple proposal is as sweet as the film it features in. Tim wakes Mary up to ask her to marry him, at first she doesn’t realise what he’s getting at but once she does she says yes. This simple, truly romantic proposal is much sweeter and realistic than a grand proposal.
8. Sweet Home Alabama
This is a double proposal spectacular and which one you prefer really depends on what kind of person you are. First there is the New York lavish surprise proposal where Andrew takes Melanie into a darkened room before flicking on the lights and revealing it to be the inside of Tiffany’s so she can pick a ring. The second is the sweet, childhood sweetheart proposal between a young Melanie and Jake as he asks her to marry him. “Why would you want to marry me for, anyhow?” she asks. “So I can kiss you anytime I want,” he responds.
9. When Harry Met Sally
Harry fulfils the ideal of the proper but romantic speech to convince Sally that they are meant to be together. “When you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible,” he says.
10. Crazy Rich Asians
One of the most recent entries on this list, this proposal takes the cliché airport chase to the next level, ending up actually on the plane. After getting the approval and ring from his mother, Nick rushes to Rachel before she flies back to the US. It’s a cute spin and the beautiful ring and engagement party at the end makes it one for the books.
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Weddings are believed to set the tone for your marriage in some cultures. There are also superstitions that are either a good or bad omen for your marriage. Rain on your wedding day is a good sign. The groom accidentally seeing the bride in her dress, a bad one.
Some may believe in these correlations, but this doesn’t make them fact. Getting hitched in Las Vegas, for instance, may be symbolic of an inevitable failed marriage.
Despite the many, many annulments and divorces that happen after a Sin City wedding – there are a few exceptions to the rule. Here are some of the marriages that have gone the distance in spite of the wedding’s location.
Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas
Yes it’s only been a year, but this couple have already outlasted hundreds, if not thousands, of other Vegas marriages.
Katherine Kelly and Ryan Clark
In 2013 this couple wed in secret in a little ol’ Vegas elopement. The couple is still together 7 years on. The pair have two adorable girls together.
This must be one of the longest standing celeb marriages to have had their wedding in Vegas. The couple wed in 1996 and are still going strong 24 years later.
Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Hurley
The couple, who met in high school and fell in love, wed in Vegas in 1989 and are still together today.
Bette Middler and Martin von Haselberg
The couple got hitched in Vegas in 1984 and are still together 36 years later.
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Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward
One of Hollywood’s golden couples wed in a Vegas chapel in 1958 and stayed together for over 50 years until Newman’s death.
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Some notably short marriages that give Vegas it’s non-happily-ever-after reputation:
Britney Spears and Jason Alexander lasted 55 hours.
Nicolas Cage and Erika Koike lasted 4 days.
Pamela Anderson and Rick Salomon lasted two months.
Nicky Hilton and Todd Andrew Meister lasted three months.
Image: Instagram/ Paulnewmandaily
Weddings don’t necessarily have to be in fancy hotels or expensive halls. They can be beach-side, river-side, or anywhere you’d like. Similarly, the reception doesn’t have to be…
Most couples meet each other by chance. A lucky encounter that leads to a forever relationship, like sitting next to each other in a university lecture theatre, through a friend, or at work. Some, however, have meet-cutes that are worthy of fairytale status.
Falling in love with a total stranger as you lock eyes across the room is a thing of dreams for many. US YouTuber Malibu Darby and her now husband Aramis Phillips had just that.
The pair were strangers when they attended the same wedding ceremony in 2015, and had never crossed paths before. Neither of them expected that this would be the day they met the love of their life. Of course, they attended the wedding with the intention of enjoying the festivities, celebrating the newly-weds and nothing more.
As luck would have it, both Darby and Phillips were keen to participate in the activities of the day. When the garter toss and bouquet throwing time came around, they both stood up to try their hand at catching the items.
We all know that tradition says if you catch these items, you’re the next in line to get married. Little did these strangers know…
Both Darby caught the bouquet and Phillips caught the garter, and that was it. A few months later they started dating and after three years Phillips popped the question.
5 years ago today some stranger caught the garter and I caught the bouquet. Now he’s my husbanddddd. 5/23/2015 pic.twitter.com/GlL1h9EJX5
— Youtube: MalibuDarby (@MalibuDarby) May 23, 2020
Chatting to Briefly, Darby said that they had a low-key engagement. Her now husband surprised her at work and asked her for her hand in marriage. According to her, the fact that it was at work made it all the more surprising.
“If it happened in a public place like a restaurant or park then I would have known he wanted to ask me to marry him,” she said in an old YouTube video.
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The loved-up couple married on September 21, 2019 and had a blissful honeymoon in Jamiaca thereafter.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2SmbVBAdla/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B17Fmn8gmdJ/
Talk about a fairytale!
Image: Twitter / Youtube: MalibuDarby
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Bridal fashion is much more than a white wedding dress for many. Cultures and religions across the world have quite varying ideas of what brides should be dressed in, and about what it means to look “bridal”.
Hindu bridal attire is one category of wedding fashion which is particularly interesting. Included in this, is the Solah Shringar – 16 ornaments which are mandatory for the bride to wear. Each item is significant for a different reason:
1. Bindi
A bride is adorned with a bindi which sits between her eyebrows. A round bindi is a symbol of married life. It also has religious implications.
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2. Sindoor
This is a red coloured powder which completes the look of a bride and is applied to the parting of the hair. The colour symbolises marriage and the well-being of the groom.
The groom uses his thumb to apply the powder to his wife’s hair parting towards the end of the ceremony.
According to tradition, the wife should reapply this every morning for the rest of her married life.
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3. Maang Tikka
The maang tikka is an ornament which is said to highlight the charm of a bride. Commonly made using gold and gems, it is worn on the head – on the central hair parting – and extends to the forehead. The item hangs over the “anja chakra”, which is the home of the body’s mind and intellect.
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4. Kajal
Also known as Kohl, thid is applied on the edges of eyelids and is similar to eyeliner.
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5. Nath
An accessory worn on the nose, the nath is another symbol of marriage. In some regions, this item is meant only for married women, who should wear it daily.
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6. Haar
This necklace symbolises prosperity. At times, women replace a heavy piece of jewellery with a gift from her husband to be. This is called a Mangalsutra.
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7. Karn Phool
These earrings are mandatory for the bride. They are often quite large and heavy and thus are supported using the brides hair.
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8. Mendhi
Women apply mendhi or henna to their hands. The designs are symbolic of celebrations, and the colour (maroon) is believed to be auspicious and to signify a variety of things from the love between the pair getting married to wealth and fertility.
Some say that the darker the mendhi the stronger the love is from the groom to the bride.
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9. Choodiyan
Bangles are also compulsory for the bride. They symbolise prosperity and a long life for the groom. Designs vary between communities, however they are most commonly red and made using gold, glass, or metal.
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10. Baajuband
Worn on the upper arm, the armlet is made using gold or silver and may be decorated with pearls or gems. This item is believed to fight away evil spirits.
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11. Aarsi and Haathphool
The aarsi is a thumb ring which has a mirror set on it. This allows the bride to get a glimpse of her soon-to-be husband, since tradition states that the bride should not see her groom before and for a large part of the ceremony.
Haathphool is a set of 8 rings which are worn on both hands.
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12. Keshapasharachana
A hair accessory, consisting of gold ornaments and flowers, which is commonly used to decorate a braid or bun.
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13. Kamarband
This item is a gold waistband which is used to highlight the shape of the brides silhouette and to assist with keeping the dress or sari in place.
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14. Payal
Said to signify the Goddess Lakshmi, these anklets look beautiful and create a melodious sound. It is commonly a chain tied around the ankle which has little bells attached to it.
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15. Itar
While not a physical item, the perfume complements the Solah Shringar.
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16. Shaadi ka Joda
The bridal dress is commonly a bright colour such as red, maroon, green, or gold and is embroidered from head to toe. The dress itself can be a sari, a lehnga, or salwaar kameez, depending on the region of India where the bride’s family is from.
Lehnga:
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Sari:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw9XmBsAoRS/
Salwaar Kameez:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9LK53clLzL/
Image: Pexels