Dating SEX AND RELATIONSHIPS

Bryce Gruber’s Thoughts of the Day: I’m Engaged

Written by Bryce

The real story of how it all happened.

When love is not madness, it is not love.  -Pedro Calderon de la Barca


I am engaged. Yes, that kind of engagement. The kind that signifies a willingness and readiness to be married to some other human… and I’m just as surprised as you are, but happily so. My family altogether abandoned the idea of me ever being married ages ago, my friends didn’t think there was a man I could stand for long enough, and the general public watched me on Millionaire Matchmaker being generally disengaged from the idea of love as a whole. As it turns out, I’m just a peculiar creature and it takes an equally as peculiar foreigner creature to lure me in to the idea of love, marriage, family stuff, and all that comes along with.

So you’re probably wondering who this foreigner lovely gentleman is. In my typical fashion, he’s a Middle Eastern man from a sandy place with a deep love of hummus, a soft spot in his heart for New York real estate, and a noticeable accent.


Aside from these things, he’s quickly become my son’s best friend and I can’t think of a single hour that has gone by since he’s come into our lives that my son hasn’t uttered “Mommy, Joe’s blue car, peez?” Being with him is sort of like eating a falafel- there’s a lot of nutritious value that sort of goes unnoticed because it’s masked by a crusty exterior (he needed a little polishing when I met him), the nuttiness of the tahini (he’s literally bat-shit crazy), and the visual appeal of the beet salad (he’s cute when his clothes match). And somehow the fiber in the chick pea batter is filling enough to keep me from even considering other meals.

We met about 1.5 years ago (or maybe a smidgen more), but I genuinely couldn’t stand him. At the time I was dating someone else, too busy to care about his lame attempts to start conversations, and too disinterested in men in general to care that he was following me around like a lost puppy. At some point over this past summer though, that all changed. We sat in a crowded room together (as we so often would), and he whispered to his friend, “that’s the girl I’m going to marry.” I didn’t know he said that, but about an hour or so later in the middle of our meal in a big banquet hall I caught myself looking at him and thinking, “I think I’m going to marry that guy. He needs better shirts.”

Fast forward to November 2011- we’re engaged! I’ll keep everyone posted on wedding details, but don’t expect the typical big, flashy wedding stuff from me. Weddings, in my opinion, are about love and building a life together- not caterers, locations, distant relatives, and floral arrangements.

for those of you wondering, that’s my real face and my real ring shopped onto my fave 80’s Glamour Shot pic <3

About the author

Bryce

Bryce Gruber is a Manhattanite mom who can be found jet-setting off to every corner of the globe. She loves exotic places, planes with WiFi, summer clothes, & Sucre brown butter truffles. Bryce's aim is to do to luxury what Elton John did to being gay. Follow her on twitter @brycegruber

10 Comments

  • I’m so happy for you in so many ways: (1) Glad that you have found love and bliss; (2) Renewed my faith in the power of love to strike unexpectedly; (3) Pleased that Ben will have a loving stepfather; and (4) Elated that you found love without the help of Patti Stanger

  • Congratulations!!! That’s really cool. Is it really weird if I tell you I saw you with your son walking on the street this week? I always read your blog, so I know how you look like 🙂

  • Dana said it best! I am so happy for you all. Your fiancee is very lucky. You’re a total package and I am sure there will never be a dull moment in your marriage. I’m sure there are a lot of broken hearts with the news that you are officially taken. Your ring is so unique. B’shaa tova u’mutzlachas!

  • CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! That’s awesome news!!!!!!! And I love the comparison to a falafel—I am going to use that as a guideline from now on. So far I’ve been dating men more akin to Frosted Flakes (time for a nutritional overhaul?). I am thrilled for you and wish you all the happiness in the world!

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