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Best Engagement Gift

Hubby and I celebrate our third wedding anniversary in ONE week, so I wanted to blog about the best (I think only) engagement gift we received.  My mom bought us the beautiful photograph below, but here’s the “awwwww” part:

More than 10 years ago, Hubby & I met working summers at Fort William Historical Park, a recreation of a trading post.  We would dress up in 1800’s attire, be in skits, work in “historic” ways and generally entertain tourists.  The idea was “living history”.  Hubby was in Trades (no surprise), working in the Carpenter’s Shop, while I toiled in the “Family Life” department, spending my days sweating over a brick oven (I bake a mean loaf of bread) or crafting in the blistering heat.  Basically, we were the 1815 version of us.  Well, us as teens anyway.  The photograph my mom gave us is a photo looking out from the Carpenter’s Shop window, where Hubby & I would chat.  Cute, right?

The photo hangs in the entry to our bedroom:

I’ve never explained this, but the photo is why I pulled bright spring green accents into the bedroom (nothing new here, just pretty sunlight filtering in and I knew I had to snap some new photos).



What’s the best, or most sentimental, gift you’ve ever received?

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20 Comments

  1. myfriendstaci
    December 13, 2011 / 3:04 pm

    That is sweet. I love the way the black frame goes with the rectangles in your headboard and side tables. We didn't get any engagement gifts! I think we only got one card! I think we were totally ripped off!!

  2. Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
    December 13, 2011 / 3:13 pm

    Oh, you made me giggle! I think my mom would have given this to us, engaged on not, just because it is so perfect.

  3. welliguessthisisgrowingup
    December 13, 2011 / 3:58 pm

    Adorable!

  4. Amelia @ House Pretty
    December 13, 2011 / 4:07 pm

    This is a beautiful and sweet gift. A couple years ago my mom and I were shopping and I came across this beautiful, handcrafted glass bowl. It was way out of my price range, so I jokingly told my mom she could get it for me as a wedding gift some day. I got married in August and when I opened a box from my mom, there it was. I had completely forgotten about it, but she hadn't! It's now one of my favourite pieces 🙂

  5. Niki
    December 13, 2011 / 4:35 pm

    That is the most wonderful story ever… so cute how you both met <3 Plus, the photo is gorgeous, and the colours go great with your bedroom too :)Thanks for sharing.Niki @ LQM&Mxo

  6. Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
    December 13, 2011 / 4:44 pm

    Thanks for your kind words, Ladies!Amelia: that story is so sweet. Your mom sounds like such a thoughtful and generous woman – you're so lucky 🙂

  7. cart-wheels
    December 13, 2011 / 5:22 pm

    Your story belongs in a movie – such a Meet Cute, as they say! Thank you for sharing, reminds me [yet again] that I need to work on my honey & I's meetup story. Because "in a bar" is sooooo ghastly and would not prompt anyone to give me such engaging engagement presents. I fear full-on, outrageous lie may be the only way to make sure no one assumes we were both just raging, horny alcoholics. That's what you're thinking right now, isn't it? Dang! A zoo! We met at a zoo! He saved me from a lion attack and . . .

  8. Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
    December 13, 2011 / 5:53 pm

    You kill me! A lion attack, you say?Want to hear the weirder side of our meeting? I was crabby and chopping wood so aggressively I broke my axe. I brought it to him to fix and was so mad when he was so damn prompt (meant immediate return to wood chopping task). Most trades guys took foreva to fix something, but he was trying to impress me. Who the hell breaks an axe from chopping so hard? What a psycho! Warning signs, Hubby, there were warning signs.

  9. Sheila @SZInteriors
    December 13, 2011 / 8:13 pm

    I love this gift, and the story that goes with it! How perfect :-)Great interview over on hodge:podge, and I look forward to following your blog!

  10. Dana@Mid2Mod
    December 13, 2011 / 10:00 pm

    What a sweet thing for your mom to do. I have to meet her someday!

  11. Sudha
    December 14, 2011 / 1:06 am

    your mom is so thoughtful and soooo sweet 🙂

  12. Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
    December 14, 2011 / 1:32 am

    She's a sweetie! Dana, you definitely have to meet her some day. She wants so much to meet you, too. Come to Ottawa!!!

  13. Carol@TheDesignPages
    December 14, 2011 / 5:27 am

    What a beautiful gift you're mom gave you. I love all the beautiful pops of green in your bedroom.

  14. Beth
    December 14, 2011 / 3:24 pm

    It would be beautiful even without the sentiment, which makes it wonderful. Love! We have the same comforter cover, but in slate gray.

  15. Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
    December 14, 2011 / 3:43 pm

    Yay, Beth! Isn't that duvet cover versatile? I have gone for printed ones my whole life and was never happy. I finally picked a textured white one and the bedroom has never looked prettier. I just wish the quality was a bit better, but after a few initial repairs, it has held up for about a year.

  16. Grace @ Sense and Simplicity
    December 15, 2011 / 12:54 am

    That is the most lovely engagement gift – not only is the picture gorgeous, but it has such special meaning. We have been to Fort William many times and always loved it. The recipe I use (and blogged about) to make pea soup and scones comes from Old Fort William (I think they dropped the 'old' from the name at some point).

  17. InteriorGroupie
    December 15, 2011 / 3:44 am

    That is awesome – so sweet. Happy early anniversary!

  18. Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
    December 15, 2011 / 3:24 pm

    Wow, Grace, you've been to Fort William Historical Park?!?!? (yup-they dropped the "Old" while we still worked there). AMAZING! I am not used to people knowing (or having visited) my hometown because it's a little far . . . That's great!!

  19. Cassie @ Primitive & Proper
    December 15, 2011 / 3:43 pm

    that is so special!!!!the most sentimental gift i got…. has to be fox in sox when i was pregnant with my first. my dad gave it to me and there was a big inscription from him about how he read it to me when i was a little girl and i would tell him "faster faster!"…. it made me cry.

  20. Tanya from Dans le Townhouse
    December 15, 2011 / 4:04 pm

    Cassie, that's so sweet! What a fabulous dad 🙂

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