Having worked in a luxury jewellers for a large part of my youth, I’ve heard more than my fair share of proposal stories – the good, the bad and the down-right weird!
I think Meatloaf said it best when he declared that he “would do anything for love” before quickly backtracking on that statement by adding “but I won’t do that!” Well it seems like the days of clambering down on one knee are all but over, as people are coming up with new and imaginative ways to propose to their significant other. It’s not enough to profess your love for your partner with a simple gesture, as there is an endless amount of people willing to take it to the next level – either you go big, or you go home!
Here are some of the most bizarre wedding proposals that I’ve heard over the years:
Hiring a theatre company and playing the star role
Every girl dreams of being swept off their feet like they do in the movies, so when a love-struck tycoon hired an entire theatre company so he could star in a play to propose, Victoria got a memory that she would never forget.
Gennady Zaleskiy, 38, paid £10,000 to have the play The Romantics staged in Zaporozhie, Ukraine, with him as the leading man. He appeared on stage in a mask where he was supposed to declare his love for his leading lady, but instead he turned to his girlfriend who sat in the audience and said: “No, the woman I love is called Victoria and she is in the sixth row. Will you marry me Victoria?”
VERDICT: She said yes!
In an art gallery
For many people, love itself is a work of art; it takes time and dedication, as well as passion in order to create something that is truly special.
This was exactly the case when George, an industrial designer, proposed to his girlfriend, Sara. George spent a total of 24 hours constructing what would soon become his engagement proposal to his girlfriend Sara, with the words “Will You Marry Me” being formed and placed into an art exhibit. The art piece was named “My Early Muir Owl”, an anagram of “Will you marry me”, and when Saraviewed it George dropped on one knee.
VERDICT: She said yes!
Virtually in a Halo game
Video games can be pretty addictive, with millions of people joining gaming communities in order to share their love of the game. Making the most of this, Moviesign (his username) created a map in Halo® 3 and set up what his girlfriend of over two years (Furtive Penguin) thought was going to be a two-on-two match with his friends.
Instead of initiating all-out war, however, Moviesign led Furtive Penguin to a spot on the map where he had spelled out a proposal using weapons from the game, before asking her to be his ‘teammate for life’.
VERDICT: She said yes!
Proposing whilst falling off a building
After four years together, Josh brings a whole new definition to the phrase ‘falling in love’ with this terrifying proposal.
Whilst standing on a rooftop proposing to Brooke, a friend throws Josh the ring and he tumbles over the edge to catch it. Luckily, this was all part of the plan, and instead of plummeting to his death Josh lands on an inflatable safety mat with a sign reading “will you marry me?” Brooke’s reaction?Priceless.
VERDICT: She said yes!
Whilst doing a gynaecology exam…
No you didn’t misread that.
A gynaecologist genuinely proposed to his longstanding girlfriend while giving her a gynaecology exam, even going as far as pretending to pull the ring out of her…! If this isn’t what proposal dreams are made of then I don’t know what is! It was daring, spontaneous and above all romantic (in a weird kind of way).
VERDICT: She said yes!
On a log flume ride
Marriage can sometimes be a bit of a roller-coaster, so when this fun-loving guy proposed to his girlfriend on a log flume, he took the well-known phrase literally! Positioning his girlfriend at the front of the ride and a cast of his friends behind, they simultaneously held up signs saying “Lindsay Will You Marry Me?” just as the roller coaster picture was being taken. If the ride hadn’t sparked her nerves, then this certainly would have!
VERDICT: Hopefully she said yes!
Getting it tattooed on your back
If you want to remember something special but you don’t have a spare pen or paper lying around, then the obvious solution is to get a tattoo draped across your back, right? Well if you’re Alex Jennings and you’re proposing to your girlfriend Caroline Summers, then this is the perfect solution for you. You have to be pretty sure of yourself to get a tattoo, especially when you’re asking for someone’s hand in marriage, so until death do them part they will always have that timely reminder that they once got engaged. Brave, brave man!
VERDICT: She said yes! (Thankfully for him)
Getting arrested
Pranks are never a great idea even when you have the best intentions, so when this guy got his police officer brother to fake arrest his girlfriend, he didn’t quite get the reaction that he wanted.
With the thought of having to spend 30 days in jail looming over her, the poor unsuspecting girl broke down into tears. After a while, the officer turns to her and proclaims that she is free to go on one condition: she takes her boyfriend’s hand in marriage. Next time he may want to take it down a notch or two?
VERDICT: Surprisingly, she said yes!
Asking Tom Cruise to do it for you
Unless your name is Nicole Kidman or Katie Holmes, then the chances are you have never been proposed to by Tom Cruise. Well for one lucky lady this was actually the case as the Hollywood actor asked her on behalf of her boyfriend, Joao Martins, who was a cameraman on a Portuguese television show Tom was appearing on.
In a clip shown on state channel RTP, Cruise said: “Sonia, you have to marry Joao. Please marry Joao. He is crying behind the camera.” Let’s hope this one doesn’t go the same way as Tom’s previous marriages…
VERDICT: She said yes!
Out of this world
How far would you go to ensure you spend the rest of your life with your loved one? Well for Alex, that meant taking his girlfriend Graciela Asturias, a 27-year-old architect from Manhattan, a thousand feet above the ground in order to give her a proposal of a life time.
To celebrate Asturias’ birthday, the couple boarded a specially designed Boeing 727 aircraft that creates the experience of microgravity during four-five minute plunges as it flies up and down between 24,000 and 35,000 feet, creating a near zero gravity effect. While they were both floating around the cabin, Alex took the plunge himself as he asked her to marry him! Best.Proposal.Ever.
VERDICT: Of course she said yes!
Tags: bizar wedding proposal, propose to marriage, wedding proposal
