Dave and I met at university through our mutual friend Nathan, who is subsequently one of Dave's groomsmen. We both studied Physics at Warwick University, and in our final year, we were lab partners studying Pyrophosphate Glasses using solid state NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) mostly because no one wanted to be my lab partner.

In August 2005, a month after graduation, we moved into our first house together in Rugby with a driveway that has become the place that our friend's cars come to die... including Dave's endless stream of Nissan Skylines. We've been very slowly decorating the house and sometimes things get worse before they get better.

The Proposal

I phoned Dave when I left work on August 10th as usual. He said he was at the office but he was going to be home fairly early. I turned up at the house to find Dave's car. Suitably confused, I walked into the house to be struck immediately by the smell of burning. While I took off my shoes, I called to Dave and asked him what the burning smell was and got no answer, although when I rounded the corner in to the living room, the answer was obvious.

On the table were two glasses of champagne, a vase full of flowers and a circle of candles. Being suspicious in nature, I asked Dave what he'd done and what it was all in aid of. He stood up, and picked up a box, which I had totally failed to notice, in the middle of the circle of candles. He opened the box up to reveal my engagement ring, and after staring at him for a minute looking totally confused he asked me to marry him. Obviously I said yes, he put the ring on my finger, and I've had the same dumbfounded look on my face ever since.