It's been a little over 24 hours, and the news has been spreading like wildfire! Ok, to give our side of the story...

My proposal to Chrissie had been in the works for a couple of months. I was heading for the States for a vacation (an excuse to use up my expiring Mabuhay Miles on PAL, really) -- traveling from San Francisco to Washington D.C./Virginia to New York and back to San Francisco. I decided that I would propose to Chrissie in New York. At that time, all I had was the idea of doing it in Central Park.

I tried getting the engagement ring ready in time for my trip to the States, but since I was having trouble getting Chrissie's exact finger size (though Chooey -- Chrissie's older sister) tried her best to get the best approximation), and our family jeweler was out of town, I decided that we'd get the ring after the fact na lang. Instead I got her a temporary ring -- but more on that later.

A week or so before my trip, I went to my brother's condo and hung out with my sister-in-law Cres and some friends from San Antonio. The topic of my trip came up, and I admitted that I was planning to propose in New York. Sa sobrang kilig nila, they helped me brainstorm the actual proposal gimmick. So here is the gist of it...

Back when Chrissie and I were in high school -- we liked each other, but nothing happened (M.U. Baduy!) -- we went to the Asssumption fair, and our friends had us captured in the marriage booth. Siyempre way back then, kilig kaming dalawa. Chrissie actually kept the original "marriage certificate" and ring all these years, though it's stored somewhere in her boxes at home. Anyway, my proposal gimmick was to replicate that marriage booth experience.

I emailed my brother Jj in New York and Ian Monsod in L.A. about the gimmick. They both agree to help out, and bahala silang maghakot ng tao para sa gimmick. A lot of church buddies are in the States now, especially in the New York area, so perfect. Ian also makes plans to fly to New York on the weekend of September 23-24. Here's an excerpt from an email to Jj & Ian...

So for this caper, we'll need:

* - someone to act as a "priest"
* - a choir to sing -- can I request songs like "Here, There & Everywhere" by the Beatles, "Sweet Reunion" by Kenny Loggins, "She" by Robert Palmer, "The Promise" by When in Rome (seriously)
* - a simple booth -- probably a monobloc table with a cartolina poster saying "AC Marriage Booth". But if we could decorate it with a canopy, flowers, hearts, etc., so much the better.
* - "witnesses" who can throw rice after the "marriage"
* - someone to photograph the event, especially Chrissie's reaction. If we can do video, so much the better.

Since I don't have the actual engagement ring yet, I bought a temporary cubic zirconia ring (total value: $20 from Nordstrom... woohoo!) to use for my proposal.

So flash forward to Sunday, September 24, 2006. Chrissie and I have been in the States together for around 3 weeks, and are now in New York. Chrissie's sister Cat is also in New York, but staying with a friend.

After mass and Sunday brunch, we go to the Disney Store at around 3pm with Jj & Cres to go shopping, but really it was to kill time while people gathered in Central Park. A little change in plans -- Cres finds a cute ring with the birthstone of December (Chrissie's birthday is December 10) in the Disney Store. It looks MUCH cuter than the Nordstrom one, so I buy it for $12! :)

Jj & Cres leave us to do their own "errands". I buy a little more time by insisting we go to Best Buy. At around 3:45pm, we get a cab, and head on to 105th St. & 5th Ave. I tell Chrissie we're going there to look at the museums on Museum Mile and make pasyal in Central Park. When we arrive, I lead Chrissie to the entrance of the Conservatory Garden of Central Park.

I've never been there myself, so plans are made for me to look out for a Chinese guy wearing black and carrying a red umbrella. It turns out to be Garren, Jj's friend from culinary school. We follow Garren, but Chrissie decides she needs to call her sister Cat who is leaving for Virginia that evening for last minute bilins. We almost loose Garren when we make a sudden turn and Chrissie sits on a bench to call Cat. Luckily, Garren notices our change in direction, and backtracks. Chrissie notices Garren, and starts thinking that he's a stalker.

But before any more suspicious thoughts are made, we are led to a part called the "Secret Garden" around the corner. Our first view, a makeshift "altar" with the words Assumption College - New York Branch Marriage Booth, and a guy with his back towards us. He turns, and it's Martin Valdes. Suddenly, music fills the air as the other participants in this gimmick pop up from their hiding places! They sing "The Promise" by When in Rome -- yes, it's a baduy song, but it's an inside joke -- people used to tease Chrissie and I with this song in high school for some reason. It wasn't even our favorite song, but it stuck!

After singing the chorus, I drop the things I'm carrying, grab the box with the Disney ring, then drop to one knee. I forget what mushy stuff I say in my proposal -- my adrenalin is pumping furiously at this point, so I'm hoping the video gets my spiel -- a crying Chrissie says yes, and we kiss and hug. This time, everyone sings "The Promise", but the nice romantic version. :)

Martin Valdes then acts as our mock priest and officiates our "wedding". Mia Diego (who drove up from Philadelphia just to be part of the gimmick) brought a tiara with a veil, a little flower bouquet, bubbles for everyone to blow, and a couple of toy rings for our "wedding". She also prepared a wedding basket rice and some confetti to be thrown, but the Central Park authorities told us na bawal to throw it because it's considered littering. Oh well. Robi Roman took care of making the "marriage booth" out of a couple of balikbayan boxes, a bedsheet, and pictures of Chrissie and I taken from Yuloland.com. I prepared a couple of "Contracts of Engagement" (complete with Assumption San Lorenzo logo) for us to sign, and for everyone else to sign as "Witnesses"!

Our witnesses were: Jj & Cres Yulo, Cat Velayo, Ian Monsod, Michelle, Yvette Fernandez & her mom, Ginger Roxas, Aileen Payumo, Martin Valdes, Pilar Valdes, Garren, Robi Roman, James Bitanga, Mia Diego, and Kim. (Louelle Soong, Toby Monsod and her friend Fr. Fritz passed by for dinner later on.)

After the "wedding" and several photo op pictures around the garden, we celebrated by eating in "Congee Village" in Chinatown. :)

Now comes the preparation for the wedding... No date set yet, but keep January 2008 free... :)

Check out pictures from Cres by clicking here.

Check out pictures from Ian by clicking here.

Check out the video from Cat...



or try clicking here if you can't view the embedded video above.

Another video taken by Pilar Valdes to come later on, after we edit it. :)

Love,

Ton-ton & Chrissie