Grey's Anatomy is as much a story about love as it a story about saving lives. The doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial never look too far when picking lifetime partners, they choose their colleagues. And while it's shunned upon in some areas, mixing work with love has proven to be a good idea for the characters in the show.
Most of the doctors that dated have gone on to get engaged and tied the knot. Though many of the marriages haven't worked, they remain memorable because of the beautiful proposals that opened the routes to nuptials. And even among the notable proposals, some have been better than the rest.
Catherine Summons Richard
Initially, Richard had tried to propose to Catherine but it didn't go to plan because he discovered the real reason why Cristina did not win the Harper Avery. Although this caused some tension between them, Catherine later ended up proposing instead, summoning Richard to the other end of the hospital. She confessed that this was something she never thought she'd do, But she did. And he said yes.
The proposal's luster was all because it was a standard romantic one with the usual candles, roses, and melodious tunes. Not to forget a crowd watching on. Honesty was in the air, with Catherine admitting she wanted nothing other than Richard to be her husband and Richard exclaiming that it was about time it happened. The only reason the proposal is in the shadow of the rest is that it's been done many times before.
Ride Of Love
Tragedy followed this proposal but that didn't take away from its awesomeness. As the two were driving to the B&B, Callie vowed to Arizona that she would do whatever made her happy. Arizona knew exactly what would make her happy, and that was marriage. Shortly after their mobile proposal, their car crashed. Luckily, none died.
There has never been a clearer indication of Arizona's love for Callie than at that moment. Although Callie and Arizona's relationship had been put through the wringer due to their brief breakup, Arizona proved she was no quitter, especially on matters of love. She wanted to spend her life with Callie and she made it known.
Ring In An Earbud Case
The future seemed bleak for Maggie and Winston Ndugu when his move to Boston became imminent. She didn't want him to go but he couldn't stay. He asked her to listen to one last song with him together, so he pulled out his earbud case, only for him to reveal a ring.
It was a great moment for a couple that had always been kept apart by distance. Maggie had left Boston for Seattle the first time they met and now it was Winston going the other way. Relationships only work when two lovers decide to take control of it and so Winston and Maggie decided that distance would no longer be an issue for them.
The Crossword Puzzle
Even for the intelligent Bailey, Ben's proposal was far too complicated. He asked her to do a crossword puzzle in the OR. The 14-letter answer would have been the question "Will you marry me?" but she got it wrong. Ben revealed the answer to her and the look on her face was priceless. Having butchered the proposal, she made it up by also proposing twice.
Asking a partner to solve a puzzle first is indeed an applause-worthy move. The proposal would have been considered one of the best in the show if Bailey had gotten the answer right. Sadly, she messed it up. But that didn't take away from its adorableness. Because of their commitment to each other, fans still consider them one of the strongest relationships on the show.
A Christmas Proposal
Before this proposal, Owen and Teddy had a few unsuccessful attempts, with Leo even swallowing their engagement ring once and Teddy volunteering to look for it in his poop. However, Owen found his perfect moment on Christmas Day, when he set up a fake snow machine at Meredith's house and proposed (to which she said yes).
Aside from its 'awe' factor, the proposal was among the standout ones because of the drama that surrounded it. Just before Owen popped the question, Link had intended to propose to Amelia at the same venue. It was also memorable due to the fact that Owen and Teddy were now moving on from the affair and starting afresh. Fans are glad that Owen and Teddy have made it work - despite everything.
Kiss And Make Up
The road to Cristina and Burke's proposal started with an unfortunate incident. Burke almost died after he got shot outside the hospital, and, as a result, his hand developed tremors. He and Cristina decided to keep it a secret so as not to ruin his career but then her conscience took over and she spoke up. After the two were reprimanded, Cristina said she was sorry and out of nowhere, Burke asked her to marry him.
It was a beautiful moment since it came after a moment of reconciliation. Burke had a good reason to hide his injury but Cristina knew such a secret would be more damaging than good. By coming clean, she had proven that she was the kind of person that would correct the wrongs her partner made. For these reasons, the two deserved each other.
The Elevator Surprise
Before popping the question in the elevator, Derek had tried to get the ring on Meredith's finger twice but she turned him down both times. But he wasn't done. In one of the most iconic scenes, Meredith stepped into an elevator only to find Derek waiting for her. He had decorated the walls with scans of all the surgeries they had performed together. After going through their history, Derek proposed and Meredith happily accepted.
This was a moment all fans had been waiting for. After the reappearances of some exes, them dating other people, and the near-death experiences that Meredith always went through, fans were overjoyed to see them find happiness with each other.
The ER Flashmob
The paramedic Matthew sought the entire hospital's help in proposing to April. It was a whole event, with a brilliant flash mob in the ER's parking lot.
All the pomp and color made Matthew's proposal hard to top. It had the makings of a chart-topping pop music video. The only reason why it can't be considered the best is that there was no happily-ever-after, not even close. Jackson ruined their wedding and after they got married a second time, they split again.
The LVAD Wire Moment
The most shocking proposal in the entire series happened when Denny was trying to get a heart from a donor. For him to move higher up the list, Izzie had to prove that Denny's heart was worse so she cut his LVAD wire. Even worse, Burke had been shot hence he couldn't operate on Denny. In the midst of the chaotic scenes, Denny woke up and promised before he began coding again.
In a show that is about medicine and doctors, there was no better way to propose than in the OR as life hung in the balance and the future remained uncertain. Denny's resolve couldn't be broken. He was skeptical about his own health (even asking Izzie to not cut the wire) but he was sure he wanted her to be his fiancée, even if he died. It's truly what love is all about.