Photo Credit: Wedding Party App

Are you ready to laugh or cry? Whether you're here to steal some inspiration for your own wow-worthy engagement (we won't tell, we promise!) or you simply want to bring back wisps of nostalgia from your own proposal, these proposals are all real and are all told by Brides who entered our Proposal Competition back in May. From the oh-so romantic Parisian proposal to the lady who confused her engagement with a micro pig; take inspiration, a smile or a tear from these beautiful engagement stories.

Photo Credit: Better Than Fine

1. Michelle Hopkin

We had been out for lunch that Sunday (16th February 2014) afternoon and we were asking my daughter if she would take my partners name IF we got married. He then joked that he would have to propose using a hula hoop as he didn't have a ring. On the way home my partner popped to the garage to buy something. Later that evening I found out what he bought when he got down on one knee and proposed with a hula hoop. At first I thought he was joking, but he wasn't. I kept the hula hoop ring but I do have the real thing now!

2. Cherrie-Ann Tuppenney

So it all started with lots of mysterious visits to a mate's house to "help fix his car". He was being very secretive but I hadn't a clue what he was planning. He kept joking around with me about how he would propose "next year" if we had the money.

My birthday came round and a sneaky little box appeared - it was earrings which left me thinking that it wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

Then New Year's Eve came around and all the family get together which is always fun (especially with the old Irish aunt of his! Haha!)

We saw in the new year and at 2 minutes past midnight with a glass of champers in hand he tells me to meet him upstairs. Cautiously I took of my heels and followed him upstairs.

I turn the corner into the bedroom an there he was on one knee ring in hand!

"I made a resolution...to look after you for the rest of your life...will you marry me?"

There I was in total shock...it was so unexpected that all I could stammer was "...what!?"

Again he asked "will you marry me?" After a second I managed to say "yes!"

3. Stacee Muir

And that's the happily ever after I never expected

For my 21st birthday, my partner handed me a beautiful pink box. When I opened it there was a big red cooking apple sitting in amongst loads of paper. I was really confused as to why he had bought me an apple. For a second I actually thought he had bought me a micro pig! He told me if I was confused that I would have to look further into the pink box. When I got to the bottom of it, there was a sheet of paper. It was booking confirmation for the two of us to go to New York with a little booklet. I could not believe it! It was where I had always dreamed of going.

A few months later we were in New York. My partner knew I had always wanted to go and that the one sight I really had to see was The Statue of Liberty. We walked around it completely amazed. It was breath-taking! As we had almost finished walking around the statue my partner turned to me and said 'I have to speak to you, come take a seat'.

As you can imagine, everything ran through my head at this point! I even thought he was going to break up with me or tell me he had met someone else. My heart was pounding (God knows how he must have felt). I took the seat and when I looked up there he was - On one knee, box opened showing a beautiful diamond ring - all right under The Statue of Liberty!

I said yes and instead of staying on the Island at the Statue, we caught the ferry and went back to call our families.

4. Hayley Brewis

Everyone back home knew what was happening and I hadn't the faintest idea!

Since then, we have moved into our own house and also welcomed our first Daughter Mia into the world. We are getting married in February 2016 so our daughter will make the perfect flower girl!

Our proposal happened in the city of Paris, me and my now fiancé went to visit the city to see the sights, soak up the history and the romance.

We had previously talked about getting engaged and as we are both girls, we wanted to prepare and we both wanted engagement rings.

We had originally planned to travel to the Eiffel Tower on the 20th of Feb and read off our prepared words to each other, but as it worked out it wasn't as romantic on the Eiffel Tower as we thought it would be! (Too many people and it started raining)

So we took a walk along the river and visited the famous padlock bridge (adding our own padlock of course) before arriving at the louvre.

Next to the louvre were some lovely gardens and a fantastic view of the Eiffel Tower, the weather had got better so we sat down, we knew this was the right time and the right place.

5. Penny Peacock

We looked into each other's eyes nervously and recited our speeches, often having to pause to compose ourselves, we declared our love for each other. We both said YES!!!!

Agreeing to spend our lives together we both put our rings on each other's fingers, looking up we noticed through our tear filled eyes the Eiffel Tower in front of us began to light up and sparkle.

It was a day we will never forget and such a memorable holiday.

It was March 2008 - me & my daughter, aged 6months at this time, were saying our goodbyes to Michael as he was heading off to be deployed in Afghanistan for a six month tour. I had never experienced such heart ache. Watching our daughter sit and play with daddy, not having a clue that we would not be seeing him for a few months. My heart was in my throat.

We waved goodbye as he drove away from us. I could barely stand. My brother picked me up and cuddled me. "Let's go out for a bit" he said "get you out for a while".

6. Amy Webb

So we went to Cambridge, but nothing could take my mind of the fact he was gone. It was possible I may never see him again.

8. Stacey Ponsford 9. Emma Turner

We returned home a few hours after, my brother unlocked the door and took our daughter upstairs, " you might want to come see this" I walked over as fast as I could, in deep hope Michael would be sitting there. On my living room door was a huge note reading "Your set of keys was in my car so I brought them back. I love you with all my heart and more. I can't be without you! Will you marry me?!"

It was a couple of days before I heard from Michael when he got out there. I was sitting in his parent's living room. He then asked if I had thought about the question. I replied with "I can't exactly remember what question it was babe?" Just to see if he would ask again in front of his family. I suppose deep down I would know he was serious if he asked me in front of all of his family.

He did. And I said yes. Needless to say he returned safely and we decided to have another baby. Now our daughters are at a nice age to enjoy our day with us, we decided to start planning our wedding for next November.

It was would have been my dad's birthday, he passed away suddenly while in Egypt the year before at just 55 years old. While at the cemetery laying flowers at his grave my fiancé said I'm going to ask you this in front of your dad's grave as it's a special day and a special place; will you marry me? We were both crying and I was so happy such a sad day ended very happy.

10. Naomi Heyes What is your favourite engagement story? Share them with us!

7. Sami Waldron

I gave birth to our beautiful daughter Sophie in November 2013. My partner Steven had always said he didn't want to get married so I never really thought about it. Christmas day we opened our presents, Steven took our daughter in the bedroom and said we had another present for me and to wait until they returned. I had no idea what was going on. I thought he had bought me a watch as that's what I had asked for. Sophie was wrapped in a blanket, I opened the blanket & she had been changed into a vest which said 'Mummy will you marry my Daddy?' As I looked up at Steven with a confused face he got down on one knee and popped the question. Before I could even get my words out I started to cry. Christmas 2013 is definitely one to remember we plan to marry in 2015.

Me and my boyfriend went to Sicily for a long weekend break, one of the things to do on our list was to take a trip up Mount Etna. It was an amazing experience, so calm and sunny at the bottom but as we travelled up in a cable cart it became windy, sight was limited and the snow was getting thicker. We got out and went for a walk, in a blizzard! It was windy, the ice was burning my face and my eyelashes turned into icicles. We kept walking until it became unsafe to go further and made our way back, we took off our snow boots and I was told to wait a minute. I had no idea what was going on until he reached inside his jacket to his pocket and out came the ring and a proposal of marriage. I could not believe it but of course I said yes! The ring in its box made its way in to my pocket and we made our way indoors. This is someone who isn't especially romantic and has never given me any reason to believe that one day he would ask me to be his wife. He made me the happiest girl that day, what an experience and what a proposal, one I'll never forget.

James and I had been together for 3 years. We met at work where I am a teacher and James is a teaching assistant.

It was 14th September 2013 and my sister was visiting our house.

My partner James had disappeared upstairs and I wondered where he was! Then down the stairs came James with our 3 year old foster son, who was carrying a homemade sign made from glitter and markers that said Will You Marry Me? My 3 year old son thrust it into my hands and I read it and was stunned as I thought it was a joke. I just kept saying, "Are you joking!" James was getting sweaty and flustered and said "No and got down on one knee and then proposed. He picked up our cat Pixie and passed her to me and said look at her collar. Still in a state of shock, I said, "That's nice." Thinking he had changed her collar but on the collar was attached a white gold and diamond engagement ring! James took it off and put it on my finger and was all flustered as I hadn't actually said "yes" at that point! I hugged James and kissed him and said "YES!".

My sister had known all along as they'd planned it via text and she knew he was going to propose that day. I was shocked and happy as I thought he hadn't noticed any of my past hints at a proposal!

We are getting married on August 11th at Moxhull Hall, Sutton Coldfield.

A surprise drive down to the Lake District, where my boyfriend had planned for us to have breakfast for us, accompanied by a stroll down by the lake. We walked on to a promenade full of boats where we were greeted by a gentleman, handing hand with a beautiful bunch of flowers- Lillie's my absolute favourite. The flowers were handed to me and we were then escorted onto a beautiful white yacht, where we sailed along the lake surrounded by beautiful mountains and sceneries. It was perfect, we both had a go at sailing the yacht which was so much fun. Underneath the yacht in the below Scott had prepared to ask me, there to marry him? I of course said yes!!! We sailed back to land and ended in a beautiful old traditional, next to a log burning fire, drinking champagne and eating a traditional old roast. Perfect day, truly romantic!