Fiancé or Fiancée?

Until this weekend, I wasn’t aware there was a different spelling for the word dependent on gender… that is until I became the one with a single é.

That’s right – Elliott’s engaged!

After several weeks of planning, I pulled off a really fun proposal that went flawlessly. I had been sitting on the ring for a while, and it was horrifically difficult to have to wait, but I had things planned out and it was worth it. I had gotten Mandi off of work for Friday without her knowing, I had Thursday off (although she thought I was in meetings all day) to set the stage for Thursday night.

Now keep in mind that Mandi really likes spy-type stuff… so for her, this is fun.

Mandi got home from work to find something waiting at our front door: A CIA folder, box cutter, scissors, and a monocular (spy scope). Inside the folder was a letter from the Deputy Director of Project Clearview for the CIA. He explained to her that her mission was to track me down and let her know that I was spotted at the place we first met.

When she arrived at Houlihan’s restaurant, she found her first of 3 packages wrapped with brown kraft paper, twine, and complete with a CIA scannable shipping label. Upon opening the first package, she found a Classified envelope with another letter from the Director. Along with the letter, there was a standard-issue large evidence bag containing an engraved baseball reading “Mandi Kornhoff, Most Valuable Fancy Girlfriend.” She was off again to find me.

She arrived at Bogey’s fun park where we like to go to hit baseballs. The second package she found there contained the next letter, and the evidence bag contained a calligraphy set – useless in finding me, but useful because she likes calligraphy. One more stop…

She went to her friend Sheila’s apartment (where she was surprised to learn Sheila was in on this with me) and located the final package. It contained a letter directing her to check back at our apartment, and the evidence bag contained a trophy reading “World’s Greatest Spy and Girlfriend” (this is significant because Mandi has NEVER received a trophy in her life – sad, I know).

So she pulls into the apartment parking lot, goes inside, walks up to the apartment door… she hears our song (I Melt by Rascal Flatts)… then she opens the door.

With our song playing in the background, she’s greeted by a dark apartment full of candles, with rose petals scattered accross the floor and table. Flowers, champagne, strawberries and chocolate await her on a white tablecloth. One more letter from the Director reads, “Did you walk right by him? Open the door.”

As she opens the same door which she just entered the apartment through, I’m now waiting there on one knee to ask her to marry me.

We laughed, cried, hugged and kissed a lot. The ring fit. I was exhausted. It really was a beautiful evening.

Oh, and she said “Yes.” :)

We got to share it with most of my family on Saturday, and we got to see her Mom on Sunday. It’s a lot of fun seeing all of them so happy. We’ve tentatively picked September 20, 2008 as our wedding date, but you can keep an eye on our new website, MandiAndElliott.com to keep updated!