Johannesburg - Rugby player Derick Hougaard asked his girlfriend, singer Karlien van Jaarsveld, to marry him.
"Wow, my heart was beating so fast and I was very nervous," said Hougaard on Monday, shortly after he popped the question.
Van Jaarsveld was very excited.
"Everything was so wonderful! Derick did not prepare me at all and we didn't talk about marriage a lot.
"Annatjie, my brother's wife, told me to go fetch her dog, Bella, on the golf course, because she ran away again.
"Derick drove with me and when we got there, a beautifully set table was standing on the golf course with champagne and strawberries.
"Right there next to the golf course Derick got down on one knee and said, 'Will you make me the happiest man in the world and be my wife?'"
'This does not come naturally'
Hougaard gave Van Jaarsveld a loose, two carat yellow diamond as an engagement gift.
"I am so excited, because now I can have my own ring designed by Jenna Clifford," Van Jaarsveld said.
Hougaard said he is very relieved that the major tension is over.
"It was a crazy day today (Monday). I first went to ask Bobby this morning, you know how he feels about his sister. Then I went to the Rand Easter Show where Karlien performed to ask her mother, Ronel. Then I rushed to Witbank to ask her father, Bob. And then tonight still lay ahead."
Apparently it's more difficult to ask someone to marry you than running onto the field against 15 opponents.
"Rugby at least comes naturally; this does not come naturally for any man."
Humble boy
Van Jaarsveld's mother Ronel Brink said the wedding date will probably be set for October or November.
"All of us helped to organise the engagement. Old Derick bought the diamond, but he didn't know how to make it special. So all of us jumped in," she laughed.
Brink is very happy with her future son-in-law.
"Derick is a humble boy with terribly good manners and he has a beautiful heart. He is one of us."
"Wow, my heart was beating so fast and I was very nervous," said Hougaard on Monday, shortly after he popped the question.
Van Jaarsveld was very excited.
"Everything was so wonderful! Derick did not prepare me at all and we didn't talk about marriage a lot.
"Annatjie, my brother's wife, told me to go fetch her dog, Bella, on the golf course, because she ran away again.
"Derick drove with me and when we got there, a beautifully set table was standing on the golf course with champagne and strawberries.
"Right there next to the golf course Derick got down on one knee and said, 'Will you make me the happiest man in the world and be my wife?'"
'This does not come naturally'
Hougaard gave Van Jaarsveld a loose, two carat yellow diamond as an engagement gift.
"I am so excited, because now I can have my own ring designed by Jenna Clifford," Van Jaarsveld said.
Hougaard said he is very relieved that the major tension is over.
"It was a crazy day today (Monday). I first went to ask Bobby this morning, you know how he feels about his sister. Then I went to the Rand Easter Show where Karlien performed to ask her mother, Ronel. Then I rushed to Witbank to ask her father, Bob. And then tonight still lay ahead."
Apparently it's more difficult to ask someone to marry you than running onto the field against 15 opponents.
"Rugby at least comes naturally; this does not come naturally for any man."
Humble boy
Van Jaarsveld's mother Ronel Brink said the wedding date will probably be set for October or November.
"All of us helped to organise the engagement. Old Derick bought the diamond, but he didn't know how to make it special. So all of us jumped in," she laughed.
Brink is very happy with her future son-in-law.
"Derick is a humble boy with terribly good manners and he has a beautiful heart. He is one of us."