It wasn't hard for Brenna Fowler to put two and two together last winter when her husband, then-boyfriend, Wyatt, started asking about the types of rings she liked and her size.
Since the holidays are a common time for engagements, she suspected he would pop the question on Christmas Eve while they were getting holiday photos taken with their dog — which was his original plan.
The day before on Dec. 23, they wanted to do something fun with his family and decided to go ice skating at Salem On Ice.
Wyatt had picked up the ring that day, Brenna said, and it was burning a hole in his pocket. While they were taking a photo on the ice, not being able to wait any longer, he proposed.
"I thought that he was pranking me," she said. "I knew it was coming, but I was completely surprised when he did it that night."
They got married less than a year later on Sept. 1.
According to a press release from Salem On Ice, these two were one of four couples that got engaged at the seasonal ice rink, which opened for the first time in November 2017 at Riverfront Park.
The 60-foot-by-120-foot indoor ice rink will once again open its doors on Saturday, Nov.17, running daily through Sunday, Jan. 21.
More than 34,000 people skated at the downtown venue for its inaugural season. Co-owner Troy Acor, of Keizer, said they also saw more than 20,000 spectators.
For its second season, Salem On Ice will feature multiple 90-minute skate sessions each day, concessions, a full bar, designated party area, a live DJ on the weekends and more than 250 new pairs of skates.
Special events including New Year's Eve and princess parties will be returning with the potential for more, depending on popularity.
Like most projects in its first year, there were some unanticipated issues that organizers needed to troubleshoot. With one season behind them, the owners can go into this year with a better idea of what to expect.
"We went over the complaints or suggestions we had," Acor said. "(And) went back to the drawing board and said, 'well, how can we do that and make it a little better for everybody?"
What to expect this year
Although there were no significant setbacks, changes have been made to Salem On Ice that will hopefully eliminate the minor issues they faced last year.
Since rainwater getting into the tent was a battle, a French drain has been installed around the perimeter of the rink, and more sand was brought in to elevate it higher to combat potential rainwater this year.
One of the most common suggestions Acor said they received was about the time slots for birthday parties, which used to be one 90-minute skate session.
"To do ice cream, presents, cake, pizza or whatever, and skate, it was a little hard," he said.
Salem On Ice hosted more than 100 birthday parties last season. To better accommodate them, they have decided to limit the number of parties to nine per day at either noon, 3 or 6 p.m.
Parties will now be 2.5 hours long, allowing guests to come in one hour before their designated skate session to do the party portion in the back while the current session wraps up.
They also slightly changed the schedule, which can get a bit confusing since hours vary for holidays and when students are in and out of school. There will no longer be a 10 a.m. skate session, making the earliest skate time 11:30 a.m.
"We had more staff than actual people coming at that time," Acor said.
By making these changes, he hopes the transition will be smoother going into this season.
The inaugural season of Salem On Ice brought a piece history back to the city, which had not been home to an ice rink since the 1950s.
Salem On Ice allowed some to relive that history, while others were able to start new traditions.
"It really did spread a lot of happiness, and every day you saw that," Acor said. "Which outweighed any of the issues it took to maintain it and keep it running."
If you go
What: Salem On Ice, a seasonal 60-foot-by-120-foot indoor ice rink, opens for its second season.
When: Opens 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 17 through Jan. 21; visit www.salemonice.com for a full schedule
Location: Salem On Ice, Riverfront Park, 200 Water St. NE, Salem
Cost: $15 for ages 13 and up, $12 for ages 3-12
Information: www.salemonice.com
Abby Luschei is the entertainment reporter for the Statesman Journal; she can be reached at aluschei@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6747. Follow her on Twitter @abbyluschei or facebook.com/luscheiabby.