These amazing clients flew in from Vancouver, Canada, and stopped in Los Angeles to travel. But what she didn't know was that he also planned an elaborate surprise proposal for her in this foreign city. It took weeks of coordination from different teams of people, and his ingenuity and knowledge of her intuition. Can you imagine having a really intuitive significant other who can put small hints together to come to the right conclusion of what you're up to all the time? Wouldn't it make it extra difficult to make sure you could still somehow surprise that person?
This was how he planned the day to minimize her suspicion. He made a spa appointment with a couple's massage at Mr. C, and he told her in advance that they would hang out in the sauna for an hour or so before heading upstairs to the restaurant for dinner. (I loved that detail about telling her about the dinner plan because that way she would be dressed up, instead of being just be in comfy robes from the spa!) While they were having the massage, the florist decorated the Starlight Ballroom on the top floor of Mr C Beverly Hills, which had sweeping views of the North, West, and South sides of Los Angeles.
The room was beautifully decorated to bring the client's vision to life. It has white/ cream/ pink and gold color palette, with a wide rose petal path flanked by candles, tables adorned with tall and short vases of roses and hydrangea and their personalized photos with really sweet messages written in Chinese.
There's also a corner of Tiffany boxes to symbolize that he would always shower her with affection and gifts in the future. Awwww so sweet.
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There's also a map that he wanted to include for them to start marking their adventures around the world together. It is also has reference to the song to be played at the time of the proposal about the desire to travel the world together.
The Chinese writing on that frame stated:
"只要你一個眼神肯定
我的愛就有意義"
Translates to: "With only the confirmation of your glance, my love would become meaningful." It's a passage from the lyrics of 梁靜茹's song 勇氣 (Link to the song here on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYo7wpKSqls) Lyrics by 作詞：瑞業
On this final table, the right frame is another passage from the song that says:
"人潮擁擠我能感覺你
放在我心裏 你的真心"
Translates to: "In this sea of people I can feel that what's occupying my heart, is your true love"
and the frame on the left says: "親愛的
嫁給我好麽?"
Translates to: "My love, would you marry me?"
The amazing sunset over the skyline of Century City. Everyone in the room getting a little nervous. And I was listening to the impeccable final rehearsal of the super talented string trio playing the string rendition of her favorite song.
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"終於作了這個決定
別人怎麼說我不理
只要你也一樣的肯定"
translates to:
"At the end I came to this decision, I don't care what other people say, as long as you are sure about my decision as well."
This string trio led by Hope Easton played this song 梁靜茹 Fish Leong【最想環遊的世界 The world desired best to travel】 I'm pretty sure I've heard it on my Pandora playlist once before. I should have recorded their string trio rendition! It was so beautiful and the pitch and timing were impeccable. I actually preferred it played by them over the original version!
Here is the original version of the song on youtube:
I just looked up the lyrics of this song and it was really beautiful. I want to share! Hey I'm bilingual and I love it whenever I can bust out my Chinese. Sometimes I throw my clients' families off because I speak Cantonese fluently.
Fish Leong's song Translation to English
梁靜茹 (Yes, the singer's name is really Fish Leong)
最想環遊的世界 (Song Title Biggest desire is to travel the world)
作詞：姚若龍 Lyrics by this guy (I can't translate names, alright?) 作曲：郭文賢 Written by this guy 編曲：陳飛午 Arrangement by this guy 聊天是甜蜜的習慣 Chatting is a sweet habit
把心情都交換 Can even exchange our moods
一天才算完 If you count these exchanges, you need a whole day to finish 簡單是我要的浪漫 Simplicity is the type of romance I want
你語氣有心疼 When the tone in your voice has a hint of distress
我就更勇敢 I will become braver 我今天 我明天 最想環遊的世界 My today, my tomorrow, want to travel the world the most
就是你 最內心 的世界 It's always within you | the world | in your heart 我後天 大後天 也不疲倦的想念 The day after tomorrow, and the day after, I won't be tired of thinking about
會是你 看著我 笑的眼 it's yours your eyes, that are smiley when they are locked on me 真愛 像一座秘密花園 True love is like a secret garden
隨時有新的發現得到新的體驗 You can discover new experience at any time 兩個人彼此挖掘 再一起比對和回味 Two people digging deeper together, and compare and savor the experience together 然後瞭解越深相愛越深 轉眼就永遠 Then, the deeper we understand each other the more we fall in love,
and when my eyes turn from one side to another, it would already be forever 你的背彎像片沙灘 既厚實又柔軟 能給我心安 The profile of your back is shaped like a beach, thick and soft, gives me peace 陽光在你心裡燦爛 從指間傳遞著 總讓我溫暖 Sunlight in your heart is always bright, radiating from your fingers, and I'm warm 遠方像蜿蜒的海岸 從晨光到向晚 景色會變換 Far away on the curved shoreline, from dawn to dusk, the scenery would change 我們走過萬水千山 辛酸會變答案 愛是歸屬感 We trekked through rivers and climbed mountains,
_ _ pain will become the answer, love would become familiar 我今天 我明天 最想環遊的世界 My today, my tomorrow, I just really want to travel the world
就是你 最內心 的世界 It's always within you | the world | in your heart 管陰天 管雨天我的心會是晴天 Even if it's overcast, even if it's raining, my heart always has sun shine
照亮你 多雲的 那一面 Illuminates | the really cloudy | side of yours
When they rehearsed, I stopped and almost forgot my job to document the details.......
We got the signal from our "spies" on the spa floor that they were coming up the elevator! The musicians stopped playing and everyone was in position and ready. You could drop a needle in the room and we would all hear it.
Here they come! The florist/ decorator Lisa and the Mr C Event coordinator Claudia were both hiding at inconspicuous spots. I was so nervous. I always am whenever I shoot a proposal. Probably because I am overly imaginative and really good at putting myself in someone else's shoes. The music started as soon as she got to this point.
She's taking all of this in and trying to make sense of everything.
At this point her favorite song was being played beautifully in the background. The sunset was just lighting the room in a beautiful golden color. And it hit her. It was a lot to take in. As soon as I saw her reaction, my tears started rolling down my cheeks too. He was just very gentle and nervous at the same time. It was really moving.
And he got down on one knee and asked if Summer would marry him.
She said yes!
We took some engagement photos outside on the wrap around roof top against the beautiful sunset and Los Angeles skyline.
The moon had risen and the sun has set completely at this point.
We went back to the ballroom and I set up a tripod to get some shots with just ambient light that has a completely different mood from if you were to light it with strobes. It's moody and romantic, closer to what you could see in person.
He hid the ring in this very thin ring box by Ringstash. It made it possible for him to hide it in his pocket while spending the whole afternoon with her, and even some hours at the spa together! These boxes are being sold on Amazon now so if you're thinking about proposing to someone, definitely check it out! The ring rotates 180 degrees as you open the box so it's easy to take out at the crucial moment, but fit into the pocket with a slim profile.
This proposal would not have been possible without the help of all the talented vendors.
Proposal coordinator: The Heart Bandits https://www.theheartbandits.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theheartbandits/
Day-of-coordinator and florals: Lisa Capps from the OC Flower Girl https://myflowergirl.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theflowergirlorangecounty/
String Trio lead: Hope Easton http://www.hopeeaston.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeeaston/
Mr C Beverly Hills Special Events Manager: Claudia Chinchilla
Proposal Photographer: Joanne Leung Photography Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joannelphoto
