13 Heartmelting Marriage Proposals

Thinking of popping the question? Be advised: These men have set the bar high.

1. The man who took out an advert in the local paper.

Archant Syndication.

When estate agent Steve English took his girlfriend Hayley Groves on a picnic, he suggested she flick through a copy of the Eastern Daily Press. He got down on bended knee just as she got to the page that read:

"I love you with all my heart. We've been with each other for years and my love for you grows more each year. You are a beautiful and caring person and have always been there for me 100% through the bad times.

My family adores you and I cannot imagine my life without you in it. Now we are expecting our first child I hope you will say yes and make me the happiest man alive."

2. The lothario who got an entire tube carriage to sing 'Lovely Day'.

Lucy Rogers was on her way home from work, on the 19.57 overground train to Watford Junction, when a group of commuters started singing Bill Withers' 'Lovely Day' spontaneously. It wasn't until her boyfriend, Adam King, showed up that she realised the whole thing had been arranged for her.

King had been planning the elaborate proposal for months, enlisting the help of his choir mates from Adam Street Choir. The group had been rehearsing diligently, with King even building a replica of the carriage to make sure everything would go perfectly.

3. The guy who arranged a mass singalong in Piccadilly Circus.

Via Flickr: jgourley

In March 2012, Roger Taylor surprised his girlfriend Jeanie Jagpal during a night out in London. As they strolled through Piccadilly Circus a professional 100-strong choir launched into 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You' by Frankie Valli, backed by over 200 dancers that Taylor had recruited via Facebook.

Photo by James Gourley.

4. The biker who stopped traffic and broke the law for love.

Facebook: hector.tankpro / Via buzzfeed.com

Hector "Tank" Martinez, backed by 300 of his biker brethren, caused traffic on one of Los Angeles' busiest highways to grind to a halt, just so he could propose to his long-term girlfriend. All completely illegal, of course, but he got away with it.

buzzfeed.com

Adding to the sense of occasion, Martinez made sure the bikes blew out pink exhaust fumes.

buzzfeed.com

She said yes, thankfully.

5. The creative soul who designed a Mario-themed presentation box for her Nintendo-loving boyfriend.

reddit.com / Via buzzfeed.com

salainen.tumblr.com

6. The Londoner who popped the question on the Underground.

Via standard.co.uk

On the platform at South Woodford station, to be precise. Tax inspector Will Gull proposed to his teacher girlfriend Katie Crammer, and Underground staff and passengers cheered as she accepted. The couple later returned to the station in their wedding attire to thank Tube staff for the part they played in their romance.

The couple had first met five years previously on that very platform. Katie said: "But for that fateful Tube journey I might never have met Will, fallen in love and married him, so I am very grateful to London Underground."

7. The cleverclogs who wrote his proposal in lights.

vimeo.com / Via buzzfeed.com

Really geeky, this one. Its the work of North Carolina-based photographer Derek Childress, and it took three nights to shoot. The words "Emily, will you marry me?" were spelled out in light writing. The final image is made up of approximately 800 individual 10 second exposures.

8. The hopeless romantic who enlisted 60 friends and family to perform an elaborate dance routine.

Via healthland.time.com

Props to Isaac Lamb, an actor from Portland, who astonished his girlfriend Amy Frankel with a meticulously choreographed communal display, soundtracked by Bruno Mars. It's worth watching the video in full.

Via healthland.time.com

9. The marine who proposed at the White House.

facebook.com / Via huffingtonpost.com

This is US Marine Corps captain Matthew Phelps (on one knee), making history by becoming the first gay man to propose at the White House. He told Huffington Post:

"I wanted to propose to [partner Ben Schock] at the White House because that's where we went for our first date, to the LGBT Pride Month Reception."

Phelps continued: "When we received an invitation from the Military Partners and Families Coalition to attend the White House holiday tour, the coincidence that it would be the six-month anniversary of our first date - and also to the White House -- was too big not to capitalize on."

Added Schock: "Matthew has made me the happiest I've ever been and I am so fortunate that I get to spend the rest of my life with him."

10. The guy who said it with memes.

Via crazymonkeystudio.com

Timothy Tiah surprised his girlfriend Audrey while she was out at a restaurant with friends. He proposed via a series of cue cards that referenced popular memes, from Puss In Boots to fist-pump baby. Luckily the stunt was more win than fail: she said yes.

sharenator.com

Via crazymonkeystudio.com

11. The movie buff who produced his own film trailer.

Via mashable.com

Back in 2011, Matt Still convinced his girlfriend, Ginny, to go to the cinema one day. Then he arranged to play a fake trailer before the movie that chronicled his journey to the theater to pop the question, with predictably moving results. At least no-one could say he didn't put the effort in.

12. The Pokemon fan who instigated a cosplay flash mob.

Via theknot.com

New York's Comic Con has played host to many geeky marriage proposals over the year, but this is surely the most colourful and heartwarming.

Via theknot.com

13. And finally - the guy who posted his proposal on BuzzFeed.

buzzfeed.com

Len Kendall invited users to submit comments and memes, with the aim of convincing his girlfriend to say yes. Hundreds of BuzzFeed community members responded. And the plan worked like a charm.

buzzfeed.com