Nicole and I had discussed that one day we would get married. We both agreed that you should never propose to someone if you're nervous at all what the answer would be. But that never meant that she didn't want to be surprised by the actual execution…

I had made an explicit point in the past to decry people who piggy-back proposals onto other events, such as holidays, birthdays, or (god forbid) someone else's wedding. I was fairly adamant and vocal about the subject, so when I planned a romantic getaway for her birthday last year, she was at the very least deeply conflicted about my intent.

I had decided sometime in the summer of 2016 that I wanted to propose before on or before our next anniversary (January 13). By September I had a ring and a plan. I booked a beautiful suite in Tofino right on the water (she had always wanted to go) and told her the details were a secret. Slowly over the next month I let all the details slip about the trip, and abashedly professed I couldn't keep a secret from her when I was excited. All the details, except of course the proposal.

We arrived in Tofino to a beautiful suite, rose petals on the bed and champagne in the fridge. She thought it was an over the top birthday, nothing more. She admitted later that people had suggested to her that I would propose and she had firmly talked them (and herself) out of it.

We spent the day pampering ourselves, eating fancy foods, spending time in the Hot tub and inevitably getting into a full blown rose-petal throwing fight (I mean what else do you do with rose petals after the initial viewing?)

That night, lit only by our fire, we were staring out the window at the storm tossed waves, and I said to her: "At every step of our relationship, we've been on the same page: from our first kiss, to travelling together, to moving in together. Every time we take a big step together it brings us nothing but joy. Will you take one more big step with me?"

I showed her the ring and once she managed to stop the tears and get her voice back told me "Yes…of course!"

It's safe to say she was pretty surprised.

-Corey