Woman’s Reaction to Boyfriend’s Thoughtful Proposal Slammed: ‘Horrible’

A woman’s furious reaction to her boyfriend’s wedding proposal has been widely criticized online.

In a viral post shared on Reddit on May 16, user Bulky_Description556 explained he wanted to propose to his girlfriend, 28. He had a unique idea because she can’t wear rings to work as she is a nurse. The man, 29, explained that he designed an engagement ring and a chain that he thought she would like.

The average cost of an engagement ring in the U.S. is around $6,000, according to the wedding-planning website The Knot.

Initially, the Reddit user wrote that it appeared to go well, adding: “I thought it was really cool, and I proposed on Sunday at the park after Mother’s Day.”

The poster explained: “There was no one else around to see it. She was initially excited when she saw it and immediately said yes.”

But the Reddit user continued: “However when she pulled it out and saw the chain attached, she accused me of trying to prank her, and wouldn’t hear a word in edgewise. She was yelling at me and crying, and I felt horrible. I tried to explain, and she shut me down and went back to her mother’s.”

Zoe Burke, wedding expert and editor at Hitched.co.uk, told Newsweek she felt sympathetic toward the poster and that the girlfriend’s reaction needed more explanation.

Burke said: “A lot goes into choosing an engagement ring. It’s a hugely significant purchase. It sounds like the poster put in an enormous amount of effort in choosing a ring for his partner, and it’s a shame that the proposal didn’t go to plan. In this scenario, the reason why she responded the way she did needs to be explored more than the ring choice, I think.”

Burke said people who are considering buying an engagement ring should pay attention to their partner’s taste in jewelry.

She added: “I would always recommend that anyone buying an engagement ring looks at their partner’s existing jewelry first, and pays attention to any comment they make about jewelry. They don’t make those comments for no reason! If you’re really stuck, you could always get the advice of a friend or family member.

“Another option is choosing the engagement ring together,” Burke said. “You could propose with a ‘placeholder ring’ and then go and choose a ring you both like. But you will need to make it clear early on in the proposal that’s the plan. You can subtly scope out if your partner would prefer that by asking some leading questions.”

The post was upvoted around 8,300 times and attracted more than 2,200 comments. The overwhelming majority of people commenting on the post were supportive of the poster and slammed the woman for her reaction.

DoIWantToKnow6417, whose comment was upvoted 21,500 times, wrote: “You were very thoughtful. She didn’t even want to listen to you and you’re not even married yet.”

Peaceful_Walrus posted: “It sounds like a misunderstanding. Give her time to calm down and understand throwing out the relationship. Proposals are emotional.”

Lady_Doe commented: “You want to spend your life with someone who when they get emotional they ignore you and storm away? That’s a red flag.”

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