When planning a personal and heartfelt proposal, many people will put time and effort into ensuring the location is picture-perfect.
Groom-to-be Lewis Paterson, 30, did just that, getting down on bended knee in the Château de Castelnaud which overlooks the river Dordogne in the south of France.
Many Disney lovers will no doubt know this to be the setting for Beauty and the Beast, which Lewis says is partner Nicola Bolton's all-time favourite Disney classic.
Unfortunately, things quickly turned from fairytale to farce, after Lewis flipped open the lid of the ring box, sending the precious piece of jewellery hurtling into a pile of horse manure and hay at the side of the road.
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Surveyor Lewis, of Wigan, Greater Manchester, said: “She said yes. Right after I dropped the ring in a pile of stable hay and horse s***. It was never going to go to plan with me at the wheel.”
The couple who have been in a relationship for three years were left scrambling around trying to locate the diamond in the dirt. Luckily, eagle-eyed midwife Nicola managed to spot it and get the proposal back on track.
After retrieving the rock, Lewis was able to pop the question properly and Nicola happily accepted. The pair are even planning to return to the village to tie the knot.
Lewis continued: “We couldn’t believe it. She saw the funny side of it luckily and we both haven’t stopped laughing. At least I got to propose to my princess in her Beauty and the Beast village.”
Did your proposal end up going hilariously wrong? We pay for stories. Email us at julia.banim@reachplc.com