This surprise marriage proposal is as romantic as it gets: a guy brings his love to a unique musical restaurant, jumps into a tuxedo, and sings a serenade with an 8-member a capella! I got it all in a little cinematic story for you!
Record Turnaround
Hot off the press: two days ago I filmed this surprise marriage proposal. I was so moved by the story that I gave up my rare Sunday off to put it together for the couple and you! My family is away so there goes my deserved binge watching after a hectic week. If I think about it, it’s still a cinematic experience, just more on the creative than consuming side. Spent 13 hours today (with small breaks) on video editing, photo post-processing, blog writing, and finally publishing. Everything was done in a bit of a rush (I still hoped to finish watching “Inventing Anna”), so excuse any rough corners.
The Serenade Man
Meet Petr. He reached out to me to document his surprise marriage proposal for his fiance-to-be. He sang a capella in undergrad with the University of Rochester’s After Hours. He also took voice lessons at the Eastman School of Music and sings and plays guitar recreationally. So, he dreamed of proposing with his solo performance of the classic “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli. There was a good chance he wouldn’t embarrass the patrons too much.
To amplify his chances of getting a “Yes”, he would bring along an 8-member a capella.
The Plot
Here’s his plan. He would invite her to a unique Korean restaurant Mono+Mono in East Village. Its delectable Asian Fusion menu offerings can please any gourmand’s appetite, elevated by soul-enriching music and the sight of about 15,000 vinyl records of old jazz and blues that line the walls. Often, they play soft jazz in the background.
In the best traditions of a good plot, Petr sent me the map. The hostess would take them to a strategically designated table. Immediately, he’d get up to “use the restroom”. He’d have a friend waiting with a tux in the back that he would quickly change into. A capella group would also hide nearby. And then, the big entrance…
It all worked out! Amber, our beautiful bride, emotionally accepted this romantic surprise marriage proposal. Their friends stepped out of the shadows and a wave of congrats and hugs ensued, supported by the entire restaurant. By the way, Amber used to do wedding photography professionally!
Juggling Video and Photo
I worked in the camera’s video mode for the proposal itself, then switched to photography. It is often that a surprise marriage proposal transitions into an engagement session, truly earning its name “engagement”. I covered many, with one of them for a French couple on Times Square, eventually leading to a wedding in France which I covered just a few weeks ago. Another highly touching proposal story was captured at The Metropolitan Museum for an Indian couple. We also sketched a plot there. The beautiful guys then hired me for their wedding In India.
It is the first time when I filmed a surprise marriage proposal after 16 years of professional photography, hence the double uniqueness.
I took this singer-photographer duo out to the street for a quick photoshoot. With their friends waiting, we only had 15 minutes. I grabbed every quick opportunity, like passing Halloween party strangers and stopping the cars for a neat backlight effects.
Below are my favorite photos from that evening. Their versions in the video above were specially processed to blend into the cinematic feel. Separately, they have a different color feel. The entire experience only took one hour, not too many here.
My warmest wishes of love to you, Amber and Petr! Let your life be as smooth and romantic as that evening!
