A 60-year-old woman happily announced that her partner of 35 years had proposed to her despite him declaring for decades that he did not want to get married.
Andrea Murray, a retired chef, was overjoyed when her partner of 35 years, 56-year-old Graham Martin, a quality control inspector, got down on one knee and proposed to her in February of this year, despite his repeated declarations since they began their relationship in 1988 that he did not want to get married.
At the time, they had committed to being together for life, and although Graham had bought an engagement ring, he had insisted that they would never get married because he felt their commitment to each other was enough.
But this year, Graham suddenly had a change of heart and decided to surprise Andrea with a romantic proposal on the beach in Lossiemouth, Moray, Scotland.
Andrea, from Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, said: “It was an absolutely amazing and completely unexpected proposal. I had to keep pinching myself to see if I was dreaming. I thought we were going for a walk along the beach but he suddenly got down on one knee.
It was so romantic, it made me feel like I was floating. He even asked my dad beforehand. It’s wonderful that romance is still alive.”
The couple is currently planning their big day on September 9th at a hotel where Andrea used to work. Andrea’s father, 88-year-old Andrew, will walk her down the aisle alongside her son, daughter, and grandchildren.
“I’m almost going crazy. I was so surprised when he proposed. I had been hinting at marriage for years, as had my friends, and then we gave up. All of Graham’s friends were shocked – they kept asking if he had health problems,” Andrea said.
“I am so happy to fulfill our commitment to each other in front of all our family and friends. To me, marriage is the best thing.”
Meanwhile, another recent bride made headlines for prioritizing comfort on her wedding day, as she decided to forgo traditional high heels and walked down the aisle with her groom in a pair of purple Crocs.