The Green Man Family Inn

Check Out These Great Offers!

News Archive

GET READY GIRLS, YOUR TIME TO PROPOSE IS NEAR!

'Leap Day' 29th February 2008

February 29th has long been seen as a day when women can propose marriage to men, a tradition that dates back to times gone by when ‘the rules’ of courtship were stricter.

It is believed this tradition was started in 5th century Ireland when St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick about women having to wait for so long for a man to propose. According to legend, St. Patrick said the yearning females could propose on this one day in February during the leap year.

In England however, it was reasoned that since the leap year day existed to fix a problem in the calendar, it could also be used to fix an old and unjust custom that only let men propose marriage.

The first documentation of this practice dates back to 1288, when Scotland passed a law that allowed women to propose marriage to the man of their choice in that year. They also made it law that any man who declined a proposal in a leap year must pay a fine. The fine could range from a kiss to payment for a silk dress or a pair of gloves.

Over in the United States, Leap Day is referred to as Sadie Hawkins Day with women being given the right to run after unmarried men to propose. Sadie Hawkins was a female character in the Al Capp cartoon strip Li’l Abner.

English Rose Hotels Wedding Co-Ordinator Michelle Wakefield said “Here at the English Rose Hotels we are preparing ourselves for the phones to ring off the hook with couples who have proposed or been proposed to over the February 29th weekend. Our collection hotels make the perfect setting for any Bride & Groom to say “I do” and although there are still dates avaliable for 2008 and 2009 our diary is filling up fast!”

For more information on holding your wedding at an English Rose Hotel, please call Michelle or Zoë on 01723 343107 or email