SHE SAID YES!

Ashley Joiner & Thomas George
New Year’s Eve 2008
New York City: Rockefeller Center Ice Rink

It’s pretty rare that your childhood dreams come true. We all have them but very few of us actually get the fairytale. Ashley Joiner’s fairytale came true on New Year’s Eve 2008 in New York City when Thomas George asked her to be his wife. Here’s the story:

Ashley and Thomas had been dating about three years before their engagement. At some point in their relationship, Ashley told Thomas that she always dreamed she’d go ice skating in Central Park in New York and that she had it on her “bucket list” of things she wanted to do in life. When Thomas began to plan his proposal to Ashley, he remembered her story and secretly went about the involved task of planning his long distance proposal. Neither Ashley nor Thomas had been to New York before so Thomas was flying blind as he began to put together an elaborate scheme that involved his family, a performance of Wicked and the staff at the Ice Rink at Rockefeller Center.

Ashley planned to spend part of previous Christmas holidays in Ohio with Thomas’ family. For Christmas, Ashley received a book about the musical Wicked and tickets for a performance in New York a few days later. The whole family took the train into New York--- all in on the proposal. On day two, Thomas’s mother asked Ashley if there was one thing she wanted to do during their time in the city and of course, Ashley replied that she’d like to go ice skating.

They headed over to the Rockefeller Center Ice Rink in the heart of Manhattan--- where they have the huge Christmas tree each year--- and rented skates and hit the ice. Thomas had it all planned with the staff, down to the song that would be playing and a bouquet of flowers he’d present to Ashley after the proposal. Ashley admits she started getting a little suspicious when they asked everyone to leave the ice but Thomas wasn’t leaving. When the song Stay with You by John Legend came on, she saw Thomas get down on one knee (on ice skates, mind you!) with the ring as he asked her to be his wife. His brother got the entire proposal on video. After she said yes, the couple took a victory lap around the rink to the cheers and well-wishes of all watching--- just like the movies! Afterwards, they had lunch at Rockefeller Center and then took a romantic carriage ride though Central Park.

Ashley’s Bromberg’s diamond is a lovely cushion cut center stone surrounded by diamonds in an antique setting.

The couple is busy planning their wedding for May 22, 2010 and is registered for gifts at Bromberg’s. Congratulations and best wishes, Ashley and Thomas. What a wonderful story. We’ve got you in the running for our best proposal of 2009!