His Story
I had played around with the idea of popping the question, but I had not thought seriously about it until we had to decide which state/city to live in after I graduated from Tulane Law. The issue was not about whether I would want to be with her forever but the intimidation of actually taking it to the next level. And while some people can move to a new city (or stay in a current city) for a girlfriend, I didn't want to decide to stay in New Orleans without locking that lady down. I decided to go through with the proposal the afternoon before we left for Costa Rica. Jessica had almost bought a ring at an antique store, but I had managed to talk her out of it because I had thought it was a waste of money at the time. Later I realized it would be a perfect engagement ring. So I went to the antique store and grabbed Jessica's special ring.
I had played around with the idea of popping the question, but I had not thought seriously about it until we had to decide which state/city to live in after I graduated from Tulane Law. The issue was not about whether I would want to be with her forever but the intimidation of actually taking it to the next level. And while some people can move to a new city (or stay in a current city) for a girlfriend, I didn't want to decide to stay in New Orleans without locking that lady down. I decided to go through with the proposal the afternoon before we left for Costa Rica. Jessica had almost bought a ring at an antique store, but I had managed to talk her out of it because I had thought it was a waste of money at the time. Later I realized it would be a perfect engagement ring. So I went to the antique store and grabbed Jessica's special ring.
I carried the ring around Costa Rica in my backpack for a few days keeping an eye out for an awesome location to bust it out. Playa Conchal was pretty legit - blue water, white sand, calm waves. I had slipped the ring into a velcro pouch on my bathing suit, and I knelt down in the water. I lifted up the ring from the water and unleashed my commitment on her with the fury of a kamikaze pilot. Naturally she seemed confused at first, but that was probably because she was so amazed at the possibility of spending her life with the greatest man of all time. She started hyperventilating, which sounded like a donkey dying of heat-stroke. Eventually she said yes, and that was all she wrote!
Her Story
Ashton proposed in the beautiful waters of Playa Conchal. Its a beach made of crushed shells and the prettiest of the beaches we visited during our stay. We had gone out into the water and he knelt infront of me. I thought he was just getting deeper into the water until I saw this beatuiful ring rise out of the water in front of me. It was a ring I'd seen in an antique store months before at Art for Art's Sake! I had fallen instantly in love with it and thought of going back for it several times since, but just had to resist as I was saving my money for this trip. He asked if I would be engaged to him. I was completely shocked and hyperventilated shortly after I said yes, which Ashton didn't hear me say. I had to nod my way through it until I got my voice back and then had to be held in the water until I got my footing back. I sounded like a "donkey" as Ashton describes it. He was worried for a second there that I would say no since I was freaking out, ha-ha! The proposal was almost as unexpected for him as it was me-- he bought the ring the day before we left, told no one, and would get so nervous every time he tried to come up with a speech, that he decided he was just going to wing it. He carried the ring with him everywhere we went and waited for the right moment.
The Ring
The ring was bought at an antique store on Magazine St. in Uptown New Orleans. We believe our ring was designed in the Victorian Era style. We have confirmed this theory due to our extensive research (Googling "victorian onyx ring diamond" and seeing image results of many rings in a similar style).
While the Victorian Era technically ended in 1901, the ring is probably from some time in the 1910's decade. There is an inscription on the inside of the band stating 191~.... Unfortunately we can't read the last digit to see the exact year because the engraving has faded out.
What it Represents
Onyx
vigor, strength, stamina, constancy, steadfastness, permanence, tenacity, firmness, durability, courage, and self-control.
Diamond
strength, everlasting ties, constancy, honor, protection, clarity.
Circumpunct (circle with the dot in the center)
the creative spark of divine consciousness within people linking everyone to the creative mind of a universal "god" thus making each persona "co-creator" (astrology). In the complex symbolic system of Hinduism and Buddhism, the bindu (dot) represents the male force. Together, the circle and the bindu symbolize the spiritual merging of male and female forces.
The ring was bought at an antique store on Magazine St. in Uptown New Orleans. We believe our ring was designed in the Victorian Era style. We have confirmed this theory due to our extensive research (Googling "victorian onyx ring diamond" and seeing image results of many rings in a similar style).
While the Victorian Era technically ended in 1901, the ring is probably from some time in the 1910's decade. There is an inscription on the inside of the band stating 191~.... Unfortunately we can't read the last digit to see the exact year because the engraving has faded out.
What it Represents
Onyx
vigor, strength, stamina, constancy, steadfastness, permanence, tenacity, firmness, durability, courage, and self-control.
Diamond
strength, everlasting ties, constancy, honor, protection, clarity.
Circumpunct (circle with the dot in the center)
the creative spark of divine consciousness within people linking everyone to the creative mind of a universal "god" thus making each persona "co-creator" (astrology). In the complex symbolic system of Hinduism and Buddhism, the bindu (dot) represents the male force. Together, the circle and the bindu symbolize the spiritual merging of male and female forces.
