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Original poster

To be curious about how many times women have been proposed to or engaged?

91 replies

WiseGreyOtter · 15/05/2025 09:31

I find it so interesting hearing about women’s past experiences, especially when it comes to proposals or engagements. Some people are only proposed to once, while others have different stories.

How many times has it happened for you and what’s the story behind it?

OP posts:
DefinitelyMaybe92 · 15/05/2025 10:42

One proposal, one marriage. However, although I definitely don’t intend to get divorced (!), I am in my 30s, so age is potentially an important factor to consider when comparing. More time on earth = more life experience.

RadishFarmer · 15/05/2025 10:39

13 engagements and 7 weddings.

Hope the article goes well.

Sugarfish · 15/05/2025 10:35

Once, kind of. When I was 19 my ex said we would get married and gave me a cheap but pretty ring from the crystal shop. There was no way we would have actually got married though. We were kids and had no money or actual future plans. He had a lot of big ideas but never followed them through. I even knew back then he wasn’t someone I wanted to be with long term. I just went along with it at the time.

GRex · 15/05/2025 10:35

No real proposals until DH, talk of marriage but nothing concrete. He proposed because when he gave me an engagement ring I said he was supposed to say something; we had decided many years before that we were getting married but hadn't got round to it. One wedding. We won't divorce.

insideoutsider · 15/05/2025 10:25

I have been married 3 times (twice in my 20s, my second marriage was abusive, now very happily married in my very late 40s after many years of therapy); I have been engaged to 2 other people that I didn't marry... 1 proposal that I didn't accept. Only one set of children though.

Very hard for most people to believe because I'm quite an ordinary looking and quirky (often odd) person.

BrunchBarBandit · 15/05/2025 10:20

4 proposals, 3 engagements, 2 marriages, 1 divorce

no 1: first serious bf, popped the question when I was 20. He started paying for a ring but I called it off before it got as far as my finger. I realised how big the world was and how huge my opportunities were and he wanted us to live with his mum.

no 2: Uni bf. Together from 22-30. Got engaged at 26, married at 27. I left him when it was clear that we’d grown at different paces during our 20s and we didn’t want the same things any more.

no 3: Mad OLD experience when I was about 34. 2nd date. Told bar staff who sent champagne and then he got on one knee. My response was Fuck No. Found out later that he was a bigamist

no 4: now DH, been together 20 years, kids, house, dog, careers, interesting lives, very happy.

LoveFridaynight · 15/05/2025 10:16

Two engagements. First to a man who I loved very much but he broke my heart (decided to tell me on the day I had an abortion at his insistence that he'd been cheating on me for six months). Second time to my DH. No romantic proposal. We were talking about marriage generally and he said so do you want to get married then? He did tbf buy me a gorgeous engagement ring later though.

monktasmic · 15/05/2025 10:15

Three times - never been married.
I have a lovely ring from DP and and also a ‘maternity’ ring (rather than an eternity!) some kids, a house and a very shared life.
We have discussed getting married to ensure we can turn each other off if ever on life support (we used want to turn each other on)and might get round to one day.

Creepybookworm · 15/05/2025 10:15

None. Married once, still married.

GlidingSquirrels · 15/05/2025 10:13

MaggieBsBoat · 15/05/2025 10:06

6 I think. If memory serves. Maybe more. Involved big rings which i regret not keeping!

How many did you say yes to/actually marry?

330ml · 15/05/2025 10:10

Three proposals.

Two engagements. I ended one just before the wedding. It didn’t feel right.

One wedding.

WorkCleanRepeat · 15/05/2025 10:10

3 proposals, married once.

TheNoonBell · 15/05/2025 10:09

Proposed to and engaged twice. First time I wasn't sure, the guy was nice but it didn't feel right and I was way too young. Second time was my now husband who proposed on Christmas day and we have been married for 25 years now.

HundredMilesAnHour · 15/05/2025 10:08

2 proposals, 0 engagements/marriages. Both nice guys but they weren’t right for me. I choose freedom!

HollieHock · 15/05/2025 10:07

Proposed to three times (at 17, 22 and 26) and got engaged to one of them (when I was 26). Married now but we didn't get engaged and we just decided to get married for legal reasons.

MaggieBsBoat · 15/05/2025 10:06

6 I think. If memory serves. Maybe more. Involved big rings which i regret not keeping!

Psychoticbreak · 15/05/2025 10:06

Proposed to twice, married once.

Renabrook · 15/05/2025 10:04

Well we decided to get married and did so once I guess

Original poster
WiseGreyOtter · 15/05/2025 10:01

CheFaro · 15/05/2025 09:55

Why the arsiness? Mn is a constant resource for lazy journalists cranking out ‘lifestyle’ features.

Show quote history

I wasn’t being arsy, I just replied in kind to the tone I got. If someone had simply asked “are you doing research?” I’d have happily clarified. Also, Mumsnet being used by journalists isn’t exactly news and I’m clearly not one. Just a regular user asking a regular question.

OP posts:
MmeChoufleur · 15/05/2025 09:57

Engaged three times
Married twice
Divorced once.

CheFaro · 15/05/2025 09:55

WiseGreyOtter · 15/05/2025 09:54

Nope, not research - just nosy in the classic Mumsnet way. But thanks for the… enthusiastic concern.

Show quote history

Why the arsiness? Mn is a constant resource for lazy journalists cranking out ‘lifestyle’ features.

Original poster
WiseGreyOtter · 15/05/2025 09:54

HoskinsChoice · 15/05/2025 09:46

Any plans for this information when you get it OP? Obviously this is definitely just for your personal interest... definitely not research because that's against the site rules. I totally believe you. 🙄

Nope, not research - just nosy in the classic Mumsnet way. But thanks for the… enthusiastic concern.

OP posts:
HoskinsChoice · 15/05/2025 09:46

Any plans for this information when you get it OP? Obviously this is definitely just for your personal interest... definitely not research because that's against the site rules. I totally believe you. 🙄

FluffyRabbitGal · 15/05/2025 09:44

None, which is the perfect number for me.

PrettyPuss · 15/05/2025 09:42

Twice. We got engaged in our mid-20's but eventually he said that he categorically didn't want to have children so I broke it off. We stayed in touch a little. Then one day, out of the blue, I was informed by a mutual friend that he'd died. He was only in his early 50's.

Second time to exH, 2 children.