Does an engagement change things? UPDATE #15

[NyaChan]

UPDATE:  Yes it is the same Todd from the birthweek of celebrations.  The big night was over this weekend, but I was waiting to speak to my Friend to update.  To start:

I remember the Jenny and Todd show! He sure does like to make a fuss of Jenny on her birthday.

I think friend should not have agreed to host in the first place since she had an exam the next day. She doesn't have time to clean and not cleaning is going to make her feel bad. Can you go over and help at all for her sake?

Also, she shouldn't have offered to pick up the mixers, I doubt T will pay her back. Honestly I think she should call him and say this is really expanding into more than she has space for and suggest he scales back the invites or choses a different venue. You can rent rooms for this kind of event.

Friend did not agree to host - she was asked if they could use her apartment.  As she understood it, all she needed to do was give a reasonable clean apartment and some shot glasses.  Also she had an exam the morning of the party not the day after, so timeline is that exam gets out, then she had to clean & get ready.  I absolutely agree that she could and should have been much firmer than she was.   I think it would have saved her a lot of worry and stress.  I didn't feel quite so sympathetic to her after she caved on that one.  Luckily the offer was not put to the test.

Friend ended up utilizing the method suggested above of shoving whatever she could in the back rooms, and cleaning whatever she couldn't.  As it turns out, I got into a car accident on my way to the pre-game (I'm not hurt at all thankfully!) and only made it to the bar portion of the evening.  Friend did relate what happened though, and I got some reactions from others at the bar.  I was a little surprised by them. 

Todd had planned to announce at the pre game, but one of the moms posted something on FB so Todd just went with it, merely omitting the announcing portion of his pre-game plan.  Anyone who was running behind received frantic texts wondering how far away we were, which I was surprised about as we are normally really casual about start times for going out, but at the time I didn't know what the surprise for us was.  I felt particularly bad in the moment since I would have been on time if it wasn't for my own driving ridiculousness.  Anyways, once everyone was there, he had everybody sit down on the couches and chairs and insisted that someone record it because he was sure to get tired of retelling it over and over, while he related the story of the proposal evening.  This took a full 1.5 hours & included visual aids and a movie of a good 20 minutes of the night.  A friend of Todd's who I don't know well was quite drunk at the bar and told me that she gulped a large glass of vodka with a splash of OJ to get through it.  Guess that explains the drunkenness...  Friend went to lunch with me the next day and tried to describe it, but couldn't.  Todd assured me at the bar though that he had the whole thing ready to repeat for me first chance we get.  Jenny looked really happy at the bar, pretty ring, and all that.  Lots of people turned up and the bar was pretty much empty save our group, so it was almost like we had the whole place to ourselves.  Friend is still a bit irritated with Todd, but also said that it wasn't exactly a surprise as she knows how he is and shouldn't complain after she put herself into that position.

[Kaypeep]

Todd sounds like a special snowflake.  I'd walk out on even my best friend if they spent 1.5 hours telling me every detail of their engagement (and filming the telling!).  I'd be prepared to polish your spines as the wedding planning ensues, this guy sounds very OTT!

[O'Dell]

Friend is still a bit irritated with Todd, but also said that it wasn't exactly a surprise as she knows how he is and shouldn't complain after she put herself into that position.

I agree with her there! This Todd is tiresome. Maybe this will prompt her to stiffen up that spine and get comfortable saying no to people.

[buvezdevin]

It sounds likely that you and your friends are witnessing the birth of a Groomzilla.

[nowhere]

It sounds likely that you and your friends are witnessing the birth of a Groomzilla.

Exactly what I was thinking.

[SamiHami]

I think we'll be ready a lot more about Todd and Jenny in the upcoming months. Hoo boy.

[O'Dell]

If anyone wants to do some background reading on Todd to prep for upcoming Groomzilla posts, here is the BirthWeek thread. (I fully expect regular updates, NyaChan!)

http://www.etiquettehell.com/smf/index.php?topic=111018.0

[Jones]

I am amazed anyone stood there and listened to the entire story, then went with the couple to the next part of the event. No one said "Hey, buddy, we're sobering up here, can you wrap it up?"

[SoCalVal]

How does the telling of a proposal take 1.5 hours???

[Deetee]

Take this as your fair warning of what you can expect from Todd for the rest of your lives.

You know the saying "Fool me once, Shame on you!" "Fool me twice, Shame on me". That applies here, except I'd call it "Stomp on me like a doormat once, Shame on you!"  "Stomp on me like a doormat twice, Shame on me!"
 

[doodlemor]

Beware of the *surprise* party w/visual aids that Todd is likely to give after Jenny gives birth.

[Iris]

How does the telling of a proposal take 1.5 hours???

This. Also

Beware of the *surprise* party w/visual aids that Todd is likely to give after Jenny gives birth.

Bahahahahahahahaha

[JenJay]

Beware of the *surprise* party w/visual aids that Todd is likely to give after Jenny gives birth.

I was thinking the EXACT same thing!

I worry for Jenny. Todd seems to think all the world is his stage and he's made her his muse. Heaven help her if she can't live up to the roll! (I'm not implying he's abusive, that's just metric tons of pressure!)

[WillyNilly]

Beware of the *surprise* party w/visual aids that Todd is likely to give after Jenny gives birth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tox87LGm0zo
Like when Homer demonstrated the sperm dance?   

[NyaChan]

Beware of the *surprise* party w/visual aids that Todd is likely to give after Jenny gives birth.

    I had not considered that. 

The story took that long because it involved a lengthy backstory, a recap of some relationship highlights, what the parents knew or guessed, his cover story for Jenny, the pre-proposal planning, the multiple stops, the explanations for each stop, multiple stuffed animals, a limo, a cathedral, an acapella group, the movie to show the things he'd told them about and the aftermath of telling the families.  But that was just the short rundown that someone told me about, apparently there was more.   

I will say though -  Todd is the only guy I know who would do something like that for a proposal, and Jenny is the only girl I know who would love it.  They both love big gestures, and a lot of spectacle, and they mesh really well because of it.