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Twitter proposal: 'Will you marry me?' Twitter answer: 'Yes!'
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The happy couple on NY's day 2009
There I was, minding my own business, checking for new tweets on my Twitter account (are you following me? Look to the right!), and somebody retweeted that a twitter proposal had been made and accepted. Then a friend posted it on Digg. This was not the first twitter proposal, we've done some checking – but certainly the first that Wedding Priestess encountered.
Am I speaking a foreign language? Twitter is part of the new social medium: a microblog where you only have 140 characters to make a point. It's a semi-public forum, although you can direct message. There's a demographic, not wide perhaps, but growing, who uses this as a primary communication tool. Digg's even more esoteric, never you mind.
Christina Warren and Grant Robertson are, there's no other way to say this, geeks. They're techwriters, bloggers, youtube content creators. They met around work, fell in love and now are going to get married and do what it takes to live in marriage forever.
She was away at a conference, getting ready to meet some friends, and made an offhand comment in a tweet that included the words him and husband in the same sentence. Grant who had already been planning to propose SOMEHOW in the next 90 days, and who had bought the ring this week (see it below!), saw his chance and took it. Said, "do you want to make it official?" When she met her friends, she said, "wow, I think Grant just proposed." Then he followed with a note to tell her to check her twitter and popped the question. The rest is in the title.
It's been fun to sit on the sidelines and watch the twitter universe respond. And then it was fun to have a phone conversation with this couple and hear the whole story. Families are pleased, friends are overjoyed. People saw the marriage coming and are not surprised that the proposal came like this. Oddly, there's been quite a bit of negative reaction. And some people have been surprised to find that Wedding Priestess, surely among the most touchy-feely people in the world, finds this utterly charming and delightful. Here's what's great about it (and these are things to think about as you consider your own proposals.):
- It arose naturally from a conversation they were having. Although Grant had planned to propose, he didn't know when it would be right. For them, this was that time.
- It's completely suited to who they are. This is not the only way, but twitter is one way they communicate. And many of their friends got clued in very quickly which was very fun, because they WERE apart.
- They had talked before about marriage. They have recently moved in together and didn't take that step before they acknowledged that this was their relationship of a lifetime.
- They're not rushing to marriage, they want a tiny little wedding that reflects who they are, and hopefully, they will carefully craft personal wedding vows that are based on their values and their relationship as the foundation for a life-long marriage.
The negative reactions have been really telling. I want you to think about them.
- They didn't do it right. (There's only one way to ask your beloved to live with you in love forever? Right is right for you.)
- It wasn't romantic enough. (Romance doesn't have a personal definition? Geez should the movies define personal? Is that personal thing why Wedding Priestess has to watch too many of her couples dance to the same wedding song that was in the last wedding movie?)
- She deserved a big dinner, him on his knee, begging her parents for her hand (I love the chattel laws) and the ring. (Then what does he deserve? Both people in the couple deserve what works for them and makes them happy. I'm sure they'll find a way or ways to celebrate.)
- They didn't get to see one another's faces. No, they didn't. They had to live with the tension of waiting, longing for one another, prolonging and extending the excitement. And then they had to rush into one another's arms in the airport and confirm what they'd just promised one another: they would get to do this again for the rest of their lives! … It's so none of our business what they did after that!)
Christina and Grant, be happy together! Decide how you want to celebrate. Figure out what you want to promise one another to make Forever a concrete reality. We're going to keep an eye on you as you move toward that goal, planning your wedding and planning your marriage. But for now, congratulations! Enjoy the twitter buzz and some sweet time together!
This is just one more way to move toward "I do" so they can find their way to happily and healthily ever after. Write and tell me how YOU got engaged!
(And remember, I need your help to keep this column current, sassy and useful. Write to me with Philadelphia wedding venues, products and services to explore. Put The Wedding Priestess in the subject line.)
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