Getting engaged is a couple’s private decision and they wear engagement rings themselves, promising each other marriage. When this partnership goes to marriage, the wedding ceremony is decided and all friends are invited. That’s how we thought with Ayşen, and that’s what we did.

Unfortunately, we don’t have any photos of our engagement ceremony, so I’ll be just writing:

We decided to wear a ring to announce our friendship which started in Ankara in early 1975, towards the end of the year. For this purpose, when we got our salaries in December, we went to a jeweler in Kızılay. Ayşen chose very elegant and thin rings. When the clerk asked what date would be written inside the rings, I said “Today”: December 3, 1975.

When the rings were prepared and arrived, I wanted to wear them right there, but Ayşen prevented me. Thought we weren’t going to hold a ceremony, but it wouldn’t be so prosaic of course!

The next day we had planned to go to the cinema for a good movie screening. When the movie started, I wanted to take the box out of my pocket and put on the rings again, Ayşen stopped it again.

The next day, we met at the patisserie where we frequently visited, close to Ayşen’s house in Gaziosmanpaşa, where she lived at that time. We ordered as usual and at a convenient time, we wore the rings on our fingers under the table!

I don’t need to explain how exciting this is. The tiny rings seemed to radiate great energy and we were a little embarrassed to get our hands around.

After eating and drinking at the patisserie, in order to pay the bill I went to the cashier that I thought was the owner of the patisserie, after paying the bill, he said, “Congratulations.” You don’t know how surprised I was, when they realized this!

Later, I remember while we were leaving the pastry shop, he ran and opened the door. The next day, we both accepted congratulations at our offices. After that, about half a year passed with preparations for marriage.