Like any other type A person, I had my dream engagement planned out for years — a weekend getaway to the Big Apple where my boyfriend, Josh, would get down on one knee in the middle of Central Park and profess his undying love for me.

About a month ago, he bought two train tickets to the city and kept all of the details secret from me, only telling me to look my best.

While Josh cut his medium-rare steak sprinkled with the largest pieces of salt I’d ever seen, I asked him if he’d be surprised at all that weekend.

“No, I can confidently say that I won’t be surprised at all,” he said, taking a bite.

Josh and Colette wear their rings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Mirror photo by Colette Costlow

It was no secret that he was proposing the next morning during our planned walk through Central Park. But he didn’t know about the ring up my sleeve.

That’s right — I bought him an engagement ring too, made of sterling silver and embedded with a tiny diamond. I wanted him to have something special, as he planned an entire trip just to see a smile on my face.

So after his tear-filled proposal Sunday morning, we sat on a bench inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where I passed him a small heart-shaped box with a man’s ring inside.

After a moment’s confusion, Josh was more than ecstatic to have a ring of his own to mark our engagement.

Some people raise an eyebrow when I tell that story, as buying the man an engagement ring, too, is considered non-traditional.

But I don’t mind. I’ve marched to the beat of my own drum for the past 22 years, so why care now about societal standards and community expectations? It makes us happy, so that’s the end of the conversation.

This mentality is why I believe more couples should celebrate their engagements and weddings however they choose. Suppose that means sticking to tradition, then sure. But don’t be afraid to mix in unconventional factors just because some bridal bible tells you so.

In June 2025, my close friends were privately married at Quemahoning Reservoir in Somerset County, permitting only one person to witness the wedding. Afterwards, family and friends were invited to the lake’s pavilion for hamburgers and hot dogs before jumping into the lake.

“I ditched my wedding dress for a swimsuit halfway through the reception to jump in the lake and kayak with my friends,” the bride, Alana Kutsick, said. “A casual day at the lake was what we wanted.”

Although their celebration wasn’t traditional by any means, it was unique to them, making it more meaningful than any stereotypical celebration could have ever been.

“If skydiving out of an airplane on your wedding day showcases your love of adventure, then that’s what you should do,” Kutsick said. “I think the days of throwing a large, expensive wedding just because that’s what is expected are over.”

Now that Josh and I are starting to plan our own wedding, we need to remember what our friends have done before us, rather than listening to big corporations.

We both love our unique engagement story and rings because it speaks on our characters. Hopefully, we can continue to incorporate our personalities into our wedding celebrations, no matter how non-traditional they are.

“And sometimes it’s okay to take the road less traveled if it means that your wedding will showcase what causes your love to shine the brightest,” Kutsick said.

Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414 or on Facebook and Instagram @colettecostlow