When he fetched me, my Gran came to the door (she doesn’t normally do that – unless I’m off to work), the two of them exchanged ‘a look’. When I asked him what that was about he never mindly said: “Watter ‘look’, jy verbeel jou!” The next morning his mom and I made breakfast and he made me sooo angry… “Maak tog net klaar”, “Moet nie te veel eet nie”, “Ons moet 12 uur daar wees!” and the ultimate “My engel ons almal weet jy kan baie langdradig wees; maak asseblief net klaar!” with so much sarcasm – I was ready to smack him then. I gave him my clothes to iron, got in the shower, got dressed (with shower minced hair) and on our way out his mom gave me the same ‘look’! When I asked about that – he convincingly told me that I’m seeing things.

When we got to the gates to Nederburg Wine Estate I just got a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. Thought to myself: “Jor this is nogals a posh place”. When he went to reception to confirm the booking I desperately tried to fix my hair…

The lady showed us to a set table overlooking the vineyard and put down a picnic basket and bottle of grape juice. He opened the picnic basket and basically begged me to look inside. Could this be his way of proposing? No, there was a single red rose; in full bloom on top of all the yummy goodies. We started chatting and eating and I thought it was the most perfect date ever; but there was more! A guy came to sit there with a guitar and started serenading us. His first song was of Brian Adams “Look into my eyes you will see, what you mean to me…” I had to swallow a tear back then, luckily I had my sunglasses on so he didn’t notice. It felt a bit weird having him sit there while we were talking but it was sooo romantic. He excused himself and when he came back Clay seemed to be very hectically nervous; rubbing his hands and his legs all fidgety.

Then I saw a very familiar page (one I printed for Clay with the guitar cords to one of his favourite songs and then I knew “Leigh-Ann this is it!” The song he sang was from Nickelback “Far Away” (it’s become our song; by the way), I think I started crying immediately. All the puzzle pieces now fit – I couldn’t even hear the guy singing anymore – my ears just zoomed in for “those” words.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that he could pull off a proposal without me knowing(even asked my parents and grandparents), but he did. I sat there, wanting to say YES! but I was so stunned! I sat there swallowing the lump in my throat and tears running down my cheeks I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. I knew the day I gave my heart to him – he was the one! Now I realised that he felt the same. Through the crying, laughing and nervous shaking, I nodded my head(in the wrong direction LOL) and he said: “what are you saying, you better say yes!” I burst out and said YES!

I sat there gazing at him – wondering: “Did he? Did I? Did he just propose?” Yes, he did! We had just gotten engaged – and the rest, as they say is history.

This article was posted by Celebration.co.za - South Africa Wedding Guide.