SURPRISE!! You Are Getting Married in 2 Hrs and We Took Care of Everything! LONG

Updated on February 15, 2013
M.P. asks from De Pere, WI
28 answers

So, I caught a glimpse of GMA this morning and to celebrate Valentine's Day, they had a couple get engaged (i didn't see the kickoff), but then told the Bride, "Surprise! You are not only getting engaged on the air, but your wedding is happening this morning too!" They gave her 4 dresses to choose from, 3 cakes, etc...and meanwhile, I couldn't help but look at this girl and think "She looks like she is going to burst into tears (and not in a good way) as she is hit with a truck that she is getting engaged and married in a 2 hour segment of GMA.

I was always the type of girl who looked forward to planning my wedding and I took time to do it. I enjoyed exploring my options for every nook and cranny of my wedding (my dress, BM dresses, cake flavors, cake decor, reception, flowers, EVERYTHING!). I think I would have been CRUSHED to find out that someone had done it for me and SURPRISE there I was getting married on national TV without makeup/hair "trials" to find the "perfect" look. And only FOUR dresses to choose from, cakes that were already made, etc.

It made me think of my own proposal - which couldn't have been better, in MY opinion, for ME...It was PRIVATE - done at a place that means the world to me (on the dock of my grandparents cabin under the shooting stars). Like I said, that was MY idea of a perfect proposal. I didn't need any bells, whistles, let alone a flash mob breaking out in dance behind my hubby as "Will you marry me" flashes on a giant screen in Times Square, with billions of strangers watching and WAITING for my answer.

It also made me think of my cousin, who's fiance (a cop) planned a funny proposal - had her get pulled over by another cop, have the cop make her get out of the car, etc. and eventually she sees him there to propose. It sounded great when she told the story, but later I learned she was not happy in their relationship and had it not been in public, would have said no...

Or...another friend of mine who was a dancer in a local theater show, her boyfriend talked to the director and said he wanted to propose on stage after curtain call, worked out the details and later she told me that was the most humiliating experience of her life and she also would have said no had it been a private setting.

So, my question...are you the type of person that likes the public proposal? A girl I graduated HS with has been all over the talk shows lately because she is a PROPOSAL planner in NY. These proposals she plans for people cost more than my wedding! Or do you like things more intimate? What would you do if someone "surprised" you on GMA with a wedding?!

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.K.

answers from Appleton on

It's a guy thing. My guess is some male decided it would be sooooo great on Valentines Day to set up a proposal and marriage on live TV and run with it. I wonder how they found the man or men to sign up for this. There had to be some kind of process to find the right couple.

I don't think a woman would come up with an idea like this. It was probably in the planning stages for a year and the women on the team were saying, 'this isn't a good idea'.

I have never had something like this happen to me but the person I am now would say NO. I would be pi$$ed if someone told me they had my wedding all planned yada yada.

Like I said it's a guy thing.

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.A.

answers from Phoenix on

I feel bad for the gals that get proposed to in a public way. I think it makes them feel very forced into an immediate "yes" when more thought may need to go into it. I am also a very private person, so public proposal or wedding would not make me happy.

4 moms found this helpful

X.O.

answers from Chicago on

I wouldn't mind a public proposal, but I would HATE a pre-planned wedding with someone limiting my options, and most importantly, my guest list.

My proposal was totally unplanned. The very first time I brought my BF home to meet my family, 3 mos after we started dating, we went to the Mall of America and were walking around, happened to walk into a jewelry store, started looking at bracelets, and ended up with an engagement ring instead. My actual proposal happened in the MOA's parking garage ;-)

So, there are worse ways to launch a marriage, but as long as the consent isn't coerced, it's all good ;-)

3 moms found this helpful

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

I would be upset. I not only wanted control over my own wedding, but I'm not a flashy, public person. Our wedding was just what I wanted. I think the engagement + wedding the same day leaves people stunned vs enthused. The proposal is one thing. Not giving her time to think about her wedding is just Reality Tv.

5 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.E.

answers from Denver on

Oh, that's terrible! Boo on them for stealing her fun!

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

P.G.

answers from Dallas on

You know, I understand wanting to make a splash, but at the same time, I think maybe theses guys are trying to trap a yes cause they're not secure?

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.N.

answers from Baton Rouge on

I have no idea what GMA is, but had I been TOLD "You're getting married right here, right now" my response would have been "The hell I am!" and I would have walked away.
ETA: We didn't spend months and months planning our wedding. We set our date about a month ahead, let the few people we were inviting know, and did the whole thing in our living room. It was very simple and inexpensive (a couple hundred dollars), but it was exactly what we wanted.
I would not have wanted the fluffy dress, towering cake, etc. even if it was free.

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.T.

answers from Muncie on

I would love it. We got married at the courthouse. No big wedding or pretty dress for me.

If someone else was footing the bill and wrestling with the annoying details, WOOT! Gimmie gimmie!

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.J.

answers from Dallas on

I would have hated it, too. I actually would have been the weird vocal person that said, No. Sorry Not getting married today. Thanks, but no thanks GMA.
Then I may even get in a fight with my new fiance if he was the one who planned it. . .

3 moms found this helpful

V.K.

answers from Minneapolis on

If I was that girl, the proposal would have been okay (I would have preferred a more private setting (My guy proposed to me in his car while we were parked in the wal-mart parking lot - And I loved it!), but would still be okay with a public one)

But if they announced the whole wedding thing on me... No. I"m sorry, no. Go find another couple. My private backyard wedding was perfect for me :)

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

☆.A.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I always wonder about people (bride and/or groom) that feel the need to make engagement a public event. Just seems, idk, "wrong" on some level to me.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.J.

answers from Seattle on

Ive turned down 4 public proposals, and 2 private proposals.... So Im possibly not the right person to ask here.

If GMA (lol, I had to look that up) pulled that on me, I can't say what I WOULD do... But I can say that my history demonstraights its unlikely I would do anything I don't want to do. And sitting here on my couch, not in that situation, I doubt I would say "yes".

I'm not fond of peer pressure, strong arming, or blackmail.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.R.

answers from El Paso on

Our engagement was kind of in between public and private. It was done at a public place (Mt Rainier's Paradise Point) but he didn't call attention to what we were doing (although he threatened to!). I had already decided I was going to marry him after dating him for 2 weeks (he didn't know that, I let him get there in his time... lol). So, I guess I would say that I would have said yes to him no matter what, although had he drawn attention to us and all, I would have been mortified, so I probably would have had a heart attack on GMA. I'm not sure I could have done the wedding in two hours... Most of the "in" styles right now are pretty flashy, and I prefer things to be VERY simple: the kinds of things that you could look back in 20 years and not KNOW what decade it was from. Timeless, if you will... :) So I don't think I would have been happy with many of the options I was given, not to mention that I didn't have a big wedding. Well, I guess it was KIND of big, but that's just because I have a big family. :) I think I invited at total of 6 friends... lol.

2 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

I caught glimpses of it today as well. Poor girl had the deer in the headlights look.

The groom looked jazzed.

I don't know how it went off. didn't stick around to watch. So I don't know if this is something the groom applied to do - you know sent in his request to pull a surprise wedding? I remember hearing them talk about stuff like this in the past.

My husband proposed to me as the sun was coming up and we were heading back to Germany after a 2.5 weeks vacation here in the States...I was sleeping - he woke me up. Everyone but me know...stewardesses, my family and friends knew - they had seen the ring (we had gone looking while we were back and had talked about getting married). I was cranky - he woke me up!!! :) So it was somewhat private but public. The Stewardesses were waiting with the champagne and chocolate cover strawberries he had already prearranged...

Would I like to be surprised with a GMA wedding? No. Not really. Not my thing. I want my family there. If my family knew and were there as well - I'd think about it. How nice to have someone else pick up the tab! :) LOL.

A proposal planner? urgh. You telling me someone actually pays someone to set the stage - so to speak - for a proposal? No thank you. But others lack imagination, right? Men want to make sure their future (hopefully) spouse's feel special, right?

Sorry to hear about your girlfriend. That must have sucked. Did they end up getting married?

2 moms found this helpful

L.U.

answers from Seattle on

GMA = ?
My husband never proposed, we just knew we were going to get married.
We had no money, I never tried on a dress, I never looked at a caterer or flowers. A woman my mother knows, who is a florist, donated some beautiful flowers. My family cooked and brought food. My music was on our mix CD. I DID get my hair done by my hair dresser. But no try it three different ways and see which one you like. Just once.
I don't know. I think people that spend thousands and thousands on their wedding are nuts. It's just a day.
Just think of what that $10,000 could have bought or paid for?! A new car, a downpayment on a home, pay off school loans, a FABULOUS honeymoon.
If my husband surprised me then I would have just gone with it because I am pretty darned laid back.
L.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.M.

answers from Boston on

Talk about being put on the spot!!

I

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.C.

answers from Washington DC on

As batshit crazy as so many women get "planning the perfect day" ... yeah I'll pass on that. Had my hubby done that (and he wouldn't have LOL) I would have been THRILLED to death to get an elaborate wedding (more elaborate than we could have ever afforded) on someone else's dime? No problem. I'm down for that.

Edited to add: I can just see some of y'all as bridezillas LOL

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

NO! I am a control freak. Anyone other than ME planning MY wedding would have been...well, I don't even want to think about what a disaster that would have been. Just no.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.W.

answers from Portland on

I'm not a fan of the public proposal. Somehow, it seems a bit much, but that's just me.

If someone surprised me with a wedding, I'd likely be overwhelmed and angry. I am not a 'fluffy wedding dress' kinda gal-- I would want a wedding that was personal to us. (Which is why we got married at the pub with me in a favorite skirt and sweater with my baby on my back. This was for us and our dearest, closest friends-- and that's how we roll!)

2 moms found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

The time we took for planning was mostly due to saving up the money to spend on it.
That - and my fiance was amendment about being out of college and working for one whole year before we married.
If - once that one year was finished - someone came up to me and gave me choices and it was paid for - heck I would have been happy to go for it.
A reception for family after the fact would have worked for everyone.
I'd decided a long time ago that I was going to marry my longtime boyfriend (we courted for 9 years before tying the knot).
Whether the proposal was public or not would not have mattered - he already KNEW my answer was 'YES - and what took you so long in asking".
What we were not into was spending a fortune or going into debt to get married.
And because we were reasonable, we could afford to buy our first home before our first anniversary.
This whole wedding industry we have has built up some pretty outrageous expectations when it comes to weddings.
My husband's grandfather got married at city hall in NYC during the Great Depression during his lunch break (his fiance was lucky enough to have a job too) and they both went back to work after lunch and worried about moving in together once their work day was finished.
There's really no reason to make things complicated or expensive.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.B.

answers from Tulsa on

I had a boyfriend in college do something public to get me to wear his ring and stop dating others. I was floored and humiliated and wish I had dumped him on the spot. I waited until we were alone and did it. Not OK.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.P.

answers from Portland on

Proposing on nation wide TV is putting her on the spot. I could see saying yes because it's just too embarrassing to say no. But then to have the wedding a few hours later! With no time to get out of the yes if that's what she wanted to do. The whole thing feels forced. I would not like it for myself and I don't like it for her.

In the past I've known of game shows choosing a couple and having a wedding but it's all been planned over time. There wasn't the sense that one has to do this to save face. The couple chose it to happen.

Perhaps she was in on it for some time but it doesn't sound like it.

I hope some magazine does a spread on it and clues us in to what really happened.

1 mom found this helpful

J.S.

answers from Hartford on

I wouldn't have been so hot on the idea of a televised proposal, but I'd have gotten over it pretty quickly when I realized that they were paying for everything top to bottom and had some easy choices for me to make. The removal of 18 stressful months would have been awesome. Did I enjoy my engagement? Sure, when it was only The Mister and myself. But when anyone else got involved (my mom, his mom, my maid of honor, his sisters, my bridesmaids, his cousins, etc) it was a nightmare. I would have given anything to just have it over with so I could have the beautiful day and then start the marriage much sooner than we did.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.A.

answers from Boston on

Good god I would have killed my husband if he had done a really public proposal like that. I didn't see GMA this morning but they must have had some sort of questionnaire for the bride or groom to make sure it would have been ok. If it was me I wouldn't have gone through with a wedding on live TV like that. Like you, I enjoyed the planning of the wedding.

My husband proposed to me in a very private way. He didn't want to do it at a restaurant that he took me to for dinner that night so it was just the two of us in a very special place. I can't imagine having a flash mob in no the proposal but some people really like that and hope the video that inevitably comes out of it goes viral. To each his own.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

I would NOT want a public proposal.
Ick.
I had been proposed to by previous Boyfriends.
I said no.
If they had done it publicly or with friends a part of the "scheme"... I would have said no. I wouldn't make up some fake answer just to save face. And I don't appreciate being "cornered" into things like that.

Luckily, my now Husband proposed privately. It was nice. And perfect.

J.H.

answers from San Antonio on

I never once thought she looked like she was upset, just in shock. While the public proposal isn't for many, it was right for her. Her father and friends all said so. They said that this was something she would totally love and get into.

I would be thrilled if my husband thought of me and did something like that. It's not his way though, so I have had to mellow out some.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.F.

answers from Kalamazoo on

I am an introvert who married an extrovert. He asked me in private, which was perfect for me...and once engaged, we jumped right in and got married a few months later, which was ideal for him. (left to my own devices, I would have obsessed over irrelevant details for months!) :)

I have a girlfriend who would have *loved* the proposal/marriage package. Hopefully the fiance of the woman on the show knew and respected her well enough to know that this would please her, rather than freak her out.

If not...there are always mediated divorces... lol

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.M.

answers from Boston on

Did the dancer marry the guy? :)

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions