Apple launched its latest flagship New York Apple retail store this month, and the moment became a scene for an unexpected wedding proposal.
Apple offered time-lapse photography from the first 24-hours of the store opening. A love-struck bachelor called James saw the moment as a golden opportunity to propose marriage to his partner of four years, Uschi.
He exploited the time-lapse sessions to hold a series of signs proposing marriage, signs which were soon spotted by eagle-eyed members of the Mac community.
James explained: “The day before my proposal we went to the store opening where we queued for hours. That’s when I first saw the time-lapse camera. Uschi didn’t notice the camera at all, but the proposal idea started to brew in my head while we were in line.”
He told Macworld that he felt the pressure of what he wanted to do – he wanted to make a special proposal to his lady love, and he thought the time-lapse photos would offer spice to his lifetime proposal.
The young couple got home that night at 10 PM – but the lovesick young man got no sleep – his plan kept revolving around his mind, until 4:30 AM, when he decided to put it into action.
“I snuck out of bed without her noticing and went down to the store again with a marker and some poster papers and proposed to the love of my life,” he told Macworld.
Intense in purpose, James said he, “stood there for about 15 minutes, holding each sign for about five minutes to ensure it’ll get at least two frames per poster.”
It’s a hazy, crazy memory, he smiled: “In retrospect, it was surreal. One of those crazy, impulsive, aneurysmal things. I certainly didn’t know it would get out of hand and be all over the Internet like this.”
The ardent wannabe groom talked himself into a nervous romantic funk: “Shortly after I did it, I actually wondered whether this was the best proposal. I thought it wasn’t as romantic as a proposal under a beautiful sunset on white sandy beach, especially since I’m from Hawaii.”
He later added an even more romantic personal moment of proposal. “I proposed to her with candlelights leading to my Mac in my apartment. I was on bended knee beside her, ring in my hand. There were tears, there was laughter, there was my G5. It was awesome,” he said.
His efforts weren’t in vain. His partner – now fiancee – Uschi accepted his proposal, and let slip that she had been expecting him to propose since Christmas “when he had a ‘talk’ with my dad”.
She confessed: “I was expecting the proposal to be incredibly romantic, just knowing his style. I should have suspected it would involve a Mac since I know that is his second love. On May 22 at 11:30 PM, he set up the apartment with a romantic trail of candles leading up to his Power Mac G5, where he had me watch the video online for the first time.”
The blushing bride-to-be, “couldn’t believe what I was seeing at first, and I was speechless with disbelief at seeing him on the computer and secondly at what the signs said.”
She had been waiting for him, she admitted: “I had thought endlessly about what it would feel like to have James propose to me and about officially starting our life together,” she smiled.
“He is the sweetest, most adventurous, loving man, and I’ve always felt so lucky to have him in my life. We have been through so much together since college, and when I reflect on how amazing a match he is for me it all seems so unreal. In that moment when he was bend down on one knee it brought that all rushing back, and I couldn’t believe it was actually happening. Those thoughts lasted a few seconds, and then, of course, I said yes!”
She sees the proposal’s existence on Apple’s website as an added bonus, as anyone can see it for themselves. “It’s like having the most unique, glamorous, and timeless proposal, with the whole world as our witness,” she said. “I can’t wait to say ‘iDo’!”
12:37 PM May 31, 2006: Added link to Apple time lapse photography page.