By KBC Associate :max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(691x376:693x378)/Woman-Upset-After-Friend-Proposes-at-Birthday-Dinner-052825-01-c4a61a463a8148a4ab3145d069476f48.jpg?ssl=1 "Man Hijacks Pal’s Birthday by Proposing to Girlfriend After Being Asked Not to")
NEED TO KNOW
- A woman asks a friend not to propose during her special birthday dinner, to which he agrees, then does it anyway
- The proposal hijacks the evening, leaving her feeling sidelined as the celebration shifts away from her
- She’s hurt by the disregard for her boundaries, especially when mutual friends tell her to just be happy for the couple
A woman turned to the Reddit community for support after her birthday dinner was overshadowed by a surprise engagement proposal — one she specifically asked not to happen.
“I threw a little birthday dinner for myself last weekend. Nothing crazy, just a cute night out at this nice restaurant with like 12-15 people I’m close to,” she wrote in the post.
“I don’t usually make a big deal out of my birthday, so this one felt kinda special,” she added.
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She wanted the evening to be about enjoying her friends and feeling appreciated, but things took an unexpected turn just days before the event when her friend reached out with a request that immediately gave her pause.
“This guy friend of mine, let’s call him Jake (20M), hits me up and goes, ‘Hey, do you mind if I propose to my girlfriend at your birthday thing?’” she recalled. “And I’m like… ‘Uhhh, honestly? I’d rather you didn’t.’ ”
Still, she tried to be polite and supportive, not wanting to dampen Jake’s excitement. “I told him I was really happy for them and I get that it’s a big deal, but like… I just wanted one night where the focus wasn’t on someone else,” she explained, hoping her honesty would be respected.
Jake seemed to accept her wishes, leaving her with the impression that the matter was settled. “He seemed a little bummed but said he understood. Cool. End of story, right?” she recalled, feeling relieved that her special night would remain hers.
But when the day arrived, everything changed. “Fast forward to the actual dinner, things are going great, everyone’s vibing, I’m finally enjoying my moment and then Jake stands up, clinks his glass, and starts giving a speech,” she recounted.
At first, she thought Jake was going to toast to her birthday, but then the evening took a dramatic twist. “This man legit turns to his girlfriend, drops to one knee, and proposes. Right. There. At. My. Dinner,” she shared in disbelief.
The room erupted in celebration for the newly engaged couple, and suddenly, her birthday was no longer the focus. “She says yes, everyone starts clapping and cheering, and just like that, my birthday dinner becomes their engagement party. I was honestly in shock,” she admitted.
Not wanting to cause a scene, she put on a brave face for her guests. “I didn’t want to be that girl and cause drama, so I just smiled and clapped along, but inside? I was pissed,” she confessed.
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Later, she confronted Jake privately, hoping for an explanation or at least an apology. “Dude, why would you do that when I literally asked you not to?” she asked, still reeling from the turn of events.
Jake’s response left her stunned and frustrated. “C’mon, you knew I had to. It was the perfect moment. You’re not mad, right?” he said, brushing off her feelings with a casual shrug.
She tried to express how hurt she felt, but Jake doubled down. “I told him I felt super disrespected, and he straight-up told me I was being selfish because ‘an engagement is more important than a birthday.’ Bruh what???” she questioned, echoing her disbelief.
To make matters worse, some of their mutual friends side with Jake, telling her she should be happy for the couple and let it go.
“Now a couple of our mutuals are saying I should just be happy for them and stop making it a thing, but I can’t help feeling like they totally hijacked my night,” she concluded.