The Most Amazing Marriage Proposal Ever

Erik Kain

Erik writes about video games at Forbes and politics at Mother Jones. He's the contributor of The League though he hasn't written much here lately. He can be found occasionally composing 140 character cultural analysis on Twitter.

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61 Responses

  1. David Ryan says:

    Shame? Not me, brother. I asked my wife to marry me at the top of the Eiffel Tower, just as the sun was slipping beneath the western horizon.Report

  2. Burt Likko says:

    For those poor saps not yet married, there’s simply no way they’ll ever top this.

    If you’re in love, your own lover’s proposal will always top whatever some other schlub does. But this guy is permanently out of the “schlub” leagues for pulling that off. Congratulations to the lucky couple.Report

  3. NewDealer says:

    Isn’t this from last year? Old viral video is old.

    And I will be the contrarian and go against these videos that take very private moments and put them on public in youtube. I know a lot of women who get very uncomfortable about the idea of being proposed to in this manner. They are private and want the proposal to be private. They also think that public proposals are sort of sneaky and underhanded. Who wants to be the woman (or man) who says no in front of hundreds or thousands of people? Not many people.Report

    • David Ryan in reply to NewDealer says:

      My wife would have died if I did something like this, and then died again if it was posted to YouTube. But this bride to be seems to be charmed. Diff’rent strokes!Report

      • NewDealer in reply to David Ryan says:

        Obviously there are also people who would be charmed by this. I was just playing Devil’s Advocate by stating that there are people who would consider it horrible and manipulative if they were proposed to in this way.

        A proposal should be individual and between spouses. I don’t think that this video should be pressure on people to propose in far out ways or a requirement to step up.

        Don’t ask me how I feel about the baby-gender parties. This is where couples get a sonogram, put said sonogram in a sealed envelope, deliver it to a baker, baker makes a cake with blue or pink filing inside. Couple cuts open cake in front of friends and family, and then puts the entire thing on youtube.Report

      • Plinko in reply to David Ryan says:

        If you’re not intensly aware that your intended would be charmed by something like this, you’re not ready to be married.Report

      • zic in reply to David Ryan says:

        This was my thought. I know some women love stuff like this. But not me. The singer in my husband’s band is a romantic, and likes to introduce songs he’s written for me with their stories; I finally asked her to please stop; put the romance into the music, instead.Report

    • Miss Mary in reply to NewDealer says:

      when someone does something like this it is unlikely the answer will be noReport

    • Pinky in reply to NewDealer says:

      I had the same reaction. It’s manipulative. Too many people get married because they’re going with the flow of the relationship rather than maturely deciding if they’re right for each other.

      The other thing that bothered me is the theatrics now associated with every single aspect of the wedding. The multiple showers and bachelor/ette parties, dinners, receptions, et cetera. Every step of the way, each particular costs a few months’ potential rent. It’s as if couples are trying to drown out the divorce statistics by shouting even louder that they’re the loviest couple of all. Now, obviously, I’m not reflecting the kind of temperment that would go for a youtube dance number proposal. I realize that. But isn’t there something seriously unhealthy about the one-upmanship of all this?Report

      • Erik Kain in reply to Pinky says:

        Wow, you guys are depressing. This is a really fun, happy video but half the comments here are complaints about “other people” who apparently just go with the flow instead of “maturely deciding” something something.

        How is this one-upmanship anyways? How is this not just a really neat way to propose? I mean, you really think this guy is all about drowning the divorce statistics?

        Sheesh. Lighten up.Report

        • Miss Mary in reply to Erik Kain says:

          It seems more thoughtful then one-up like. I imagine her significant other tried to do something that was meaningful to them, and it doesn’t look like it would cost a whole lot of money.Report

        • Chris in reply to Erik Kain says:

          I agree. I find those sporting event proposal incredibly manipulative, but this one, despite the fact that I’m not much for the overly saccharine, and that I hate the song (and Burno period), seems just sweet and wonderful. Involving not thousands of strangers, but friends and family who clearly love them both is different, especially since I suspect everyone involved knew she would say yes no matter how he proposed.Report

        • Pinky in reply to Erik Kain says:

          I will not lighten up! I refuse to lighten up!
          🙂

          Look, I wish these two the best. My gut instinct is that in 5 years, she’ll be saying “I still love you, but I can’t help it that I don’t feel in love with you any more”, and he’ll be asking “haven’t I done everything right?”.Report

      • Kim in reply to Pinky says:

        *shrugs* my parents in law got married in the courthouse, and had to bribe someone with a pocketknife to be a witness.
        we got married in the county jail (arraignment court).

        It was fun!Report

    • Erik Kain in reply to NewDealer says:

      NewDealer – funny thing about the internet and me: I miss the occasional viral video. It’s a flaw, I admit, but there you have it.

      To your other points (in this and later comments) I’m not sure it’s for you to say that this should be private. It’s not your marriage proposal, after all. Some women may be uncomfortable with this, others would likely be made enormously happy. I’m sure the gentleman in the video had a good idea what his future fiance would or would not like.

      You pass judgment, but I’m not sure why you think you have the right to.Report

      • NewDealer in reply to Erik Kain says:

        I didn’t say mean to say that all proposals should be private. I don’t harbor any illusions about my thoughts influencing anyone in these matters.

        I was merely pointing out that not everyone wants to be proposed to in public or with everyone involved.

        Also, telling people we have to hang our heads in shame for not thinking of this or wanting to propose like this is passing judgment.Report

  4. Burt Likko says:

    The terrible thing about divorce is often not merely the end of a marriage, but the awkward and devastating impact of that separation on children, extended family, friends, and so forth.

    True dat. Worst for the parties, of course, but the ripple effects can go a long way.

    H1 & W1 split up. H2 & W2 consoles and offers friendship to H1. H3 and W3 consoles and offers friendship to W1. W1 accuses H2 & W2 of “taking H1‘s side” and starts drama. H3 and W3 buy in to this argument. Now, H2 & W2‘s friendship with H3 and W3. H4 and W4 now must mediate between being friends with H2 & W2 or H3 and W3, even though they don’t even know either H1 or W1. Hopefully H4 and W4 at least agree on how to go about doing that, or H5 and W5 and H6 and W6 and their friends H7 and W7 better look out.

    …I blame the lawyers.Report

  5. Tod Kelly says:

    This was one of the stories reported on Greta Van Susteren when I did my FOX marathon. What I live-blogged then:

    “And a guy from Oregon choreographs a wedding proposal with 60 dancers to make it look like a scene from Glee, an act which even though he and his new female fiancé are straight will, I believe, make their marriage void in North Carolina.”Report

  6. Mike Dwyer says:

    I’ll be the grouch here who says that the wedding proposals and also first dances at weddings are getting a little out of hand as of late. But with that said, I totally smiled at this one. My proposal to the wife was much more tame although it did involve snow falling on cue, an unexpected gift from Mother Nature.

    What I will also say is that the older I get the more I realize being married is pretty awesome and making it successful is pretty much my #1 goal in life.Report

  7. E.C. Gach says:

    Thanks for posting Erik. It’s a good reminder that I need to start putting my creative abilities to work on putting together something at least 1/10th as special.Report

  8. David Ryan says:

    This, and other offerings on their YouTube channel suggests the couple in question enjoyed performing.

    http://youtu.be/y2a65VfnbWEReport

  9. zic says:

    I’m sort of troubled by the notion of a ‘proposal,’ to be honest. We — my sweetie and I — talked about getting married for a long time. We talked about the pros and cons, about my fears as a child of divorce, about his as a child of a long-term marriage.

    In the end, we just sort of decided because we trusted each other, knew we suited one another. We came to the decision as partners. And that’s at the root of my discomfort, beyond the public display, for there’s something about the whole notion of proposal that suggests an asking man, and an obliging woman instead of two people making a serious and (hopefully) life-long decision.

    That said; romance deserves attention throughout a marriage, not just the proposal and wedding. It’s something to strive for each and every single day.Report

    • David Ryan in reply to zic says:

      “romance deserves attention throughout a marriage, not just the proposal and wedding. It’s something to strive for each and every single day.”

      Just who do you think you are? Tony Comstock? Quit horning in on my racket!Report

      • zic in reply to David Ryan says:

        It’s a family racket.

        When our kids were small, T. Berry Brazelton was the famous pediatrician. (Kinda like one Russel Saunders around here, no?) Had a TV show, and on several occasions, I heard him say, “A father’s most important job is to love the mother.”Report

    • Michelle in reply to zic says:

      Zic–this was pretty much how my husband and I decided to get married. We were older; he’d already been through one divorce; we each had our own respective sets of baggage. We talked it out and came to a mutual decision to marry. He didn’t propose. Worked for us.Report

  10. Rod Engelsman says:

    It was sweet and funny and I confess to tearing up a bit.

    That being said it falls into the category of romance porn.Report

    • David Ryan in reply to Rod Engelsman says:

      Nope wrong. 17 million views and still on YouTube, ergo it is not porn.Report

      • Rod Engelsman in reply to David Ryan says:

        What the hell does popularity have to do with whether or not something is porn? I’m told that Fifty Shades of Grey sold quite a few copies, but I don’t think you could deny that it is a kind of porn (albeit perhaps of the soft variety, I dunno).

        The word porn no longer, if it ever did, strictly mean material of a sexual nature. We speak of torture porn (the Saw movies), and house porn (shows on HGTV), etc. I put the whole Harlequin category of romantic fiction in the category of romance porn.

        The reason so many women object to what we standardly think of as porn, I believe, is because of the unrealistic expectations it can set up. To compete against the Jenna Jameson’s of the world they feel like they have to have this perfect body, get a boob job, wax the cooch, learn how to deep throat and really, really, love anal sex. Then they need to invite a couple of their best friends over and treat you to a three-on-one, bi-lesbian, f***fest. And do all that, like every other day.

        Romance porn, I believe, sets up similarly unrealistic expectations that your average guy just doesn’t have the time, resources, or imagination to fulfill.Report

  11. James K says:

    The whole thing was well-done, but I think the “Dancing Jews” were what took it to the next level for me.Report

  12. BlaiseP says:

    There’s a wonderful bit from the old television show “All in the Family”. Meathead (Rob Reiner) is hectoring Archie Bunker, asking “Arch, how come you’re not romantic with Edith anymore?”

    Archie Bunker, sitting in his chair, winces at the stupidity of the question. “Meathead” he snarls, “You don’t keep running once you’ve caught the bus.”

    If lovers put as much effort into maintaining a marriage as they did in establishing it, with this sort of extravagantly romantic gesture, it would surely be a better world.Report

  13. Artor says:

    It was the dancing Jews that clinched it, I’m sure. That was spectacular!Report

  14. Elie says:

    This proposal is so fantastic and if you are looking for something just as creative, and personalized The Yes Girls are here to help! We help guys around the world with the most important question of their lives… contact us today to start planning your perfect proposal! http://www.theyesgirls.com/proposals/services/all-packages.aspxReport