On January 1, 2020 I starred in my own real-life Hallmark Christmas Movie. My now Sneaky Fiancé changed our flights to add an extra day and surprised me with helicopters, massages, a fancy boozy mimosas brunch, skating at Rockefeller centre, ending with the most perfect proposal.
Let’s back up to the day before.. I went on my WestJet Mobile App to check our flight status and noticed that the original flight of 5:00am on January 1st, was now showing 12:00pm the following day on January 2nd. I stared at my phone in disbelieve while my mind raced about everything that’s wrong about this situation.. Thinking ‘We don’t have another night at the hotel booked, we haven’t told our dog sitter, was this MY fault? I was SURE I didn’t mess this up, it just didn’t add up’. While I’m in full panic mode Alec is cool as a cucumber in the background telling me it’s ok, we will figure it out later like it’s no big deal that we have nowhere to sleep tonight. I insist that this is NOT ok, and that I need to call West-jet this minute and settle the conflict.
“look, I even took a screenshot of our original flight showing January 1st, It wasn’t me!! I exclaim”.
Thats when Alec began laughing at me and spilled the news that he had changed our flights, booked an extra night at the hotel and contacted our friends taking care of our dog, Mowgli. For a guy who never plans anything for his obsessive planning girlfriend this was a surprise in itself.
January 1st, 2020
I woke up to my first surprise, we got in an Uber which Alec booked where the man greated us cheerfully with “going on a helicopter ride today!?!”(Something that I wasn’t yet aware of). So we show up at this business that looks closed and I think I know exactly what is going on, were going on tour which we had discussed prior to the trip. I ring the door bell and this man answers with basically a why are you here attitude and I step in front to say “We are here for a Helicopter Tour”. In embarrassment Alec says no, we’re getting a private helicopter taxi somewhere and gives me a look like, shhut your mouth you don’t even know.
Alec and I are frequents in helicopter’s but this one made me feel like I was famous, so fancy shmancey. Anyways, the helicopter was a 30 minute air taxi to the “Glenmere Mansion”, A literal mansions built for an aristocrat’s wife in 1919, now reborn as a premier luxury hotel and spa. With just 18 guest accommodations, 2 superb restaurants, and exceptional recreational facilities including a full-service spa with bath house/hammam, it was a frequent of the rich and famous. Alec had set up the ultimate Glenmore arrival and opted to arrive via private helicopter on the front lawn of the estate, steps from the Manson door (are you kidding me?). From there the butler escorted us from the helicopter to a private corner of the dining room where we had a beautiful brunch equipped with mimosa’s of course.
Now after brunch i’m thinking, this is too perfect. When are you poppin’ out from around a fancy ass corner of the Glenmere Mansion with a shiny diamond ring? (Flash-back to two days ago when Alec had pulled off his first surprise with a seat at Breakfast at Tiffany’s SOLD OUT brunch, I had already told him I cannot do anymore surprises on this trip because I get the nervous poops and I just can’t deal with feeling like I have to poop this whole trip!!! So, here we are again, surprise after surprise and in my head i’m thinking omg please just do if you’re gonna do it because I just can’t handle the anticipation).
After our beautiful brunch we had a couples massage – my face now smushed in and hair all greased up with massage oil I knew I could relax at this point. “Ok, cool a proposal is not in the cards, relax yo bowls girl”. The lady in the dressing room with me asked if I was the one who landed via helicopter in the garden estate. I replied ya, as if It was no big deal “look at me, out doing the rich. At least it’s fun to pretend” I think to myself. Meanwhile, she’s probably real life rich showin’ up with either the Lambo, Rols Royce or Mercedes G5 sitting in the parking area.
After our truly magical, fancy day. The helicopter picked us up and took us on a tour of Manhattan before dropping us off. We went back to the hotel and I completely crashed into a deep nap. I was pleasantly woken up with Alec telling me he had one more surprise in store for us that day.. “Do I have to shower?” I say groggy as my hair is literally stuck to my face from the massage oil. He said he booked us into skating at the Rockefeller Center. For anyone who knows me, I LOVE skating, growing up as a competitive figure skater, a rink held a close place in my heart and am a huge fan of big trees and the biggest Christmas Tree in New York? You didn’t have to ask me twice to get up and shower!
So here we are, 10 hours after my first surprise as we skated casually around Rockefeller Skating Rink, Alec asked to take a selfie which I thought was a little weird because he’s not a selfie guy.. Future me would find out that he used the photo to send to the photographer that was set up to catch the final moment. I tried to talk to him a couple times but ended up answering my own questions as he was on a completely different planet and probably had a couple more important things to go over in his head. So, we continued to skate until everyone cleared the ice and he wanted to go around one more time together. Then ‘Our Song’ began playing. Literally ‘Our Song” By Elton John. I instantly started crying as he dropped to his knee with the biggest smile on his face and confessed his love to me. Of course, I said YES! After the moment passed, we both realized the crowd above cheering and looked up to the chant “kiss her”. It was a magical moment I will remember forever. Now for anyone who has been to the Rockerfeller Rink around Christmas knows that at any given time there are thouuusands of people watching the rink. We had thousands of people watching and cheering. I loved it, always loved to put on a good show.
Something you may not know about me is I am a sucker for really really bad romantic hallmark Christmas movies. I watch every single one every year, usually by myself or with my mom because everyone else feels the need to comment how awful they are and it’s always the same plot, the guy ends up with the girl. Well, I had my very own Hallmark Movie Moment and that just made it even more special. I can’t wait to be the girl who marries the guy in real life.
Ash Fox Photography – Can be found on Instagram and Facebook. She is not only a beautiful kind soul who did a fantastic job on our quick photo-session. She also helped Alec put together this magical day for me. She’s a Engagement Planner in New York.
Afterwards we were taken to the restaurant looking over the rink, had champagne and the chefs tasting menu.
saltairsociety.co 