The Art of Proposal

Yesterday, August 18, Mark Chen asked his beautiful girlfriend Jing to marry him in the galleries of the Georgia Museum of Art! This marks the third engagement that has taken place in museum since the exhibition "The Ring Shows: Then & Now and Putting the Band Back Together" and the third that I have had the pleasure of facilitating.

It is a glorious feeling to watch two people, very much in love, get engaged! The nervous groom wanting everything to be perfect, the unknowing bride-to-be completely clueless then suddenly overwhelmed with excitement, anticipation and sheer joy – the whole experience is unforgettable, and one that I am honored to be included in.

Mark really had it down to an art, despite this being the first (and only) time he had ever proposed to someone. He called me a couple of weeks ago and told me his intention. I was immediately elated at the idea of another museum proposal. We met that weekend at Family Day and walked around discussing the details of the plan.

I was to pose as a security guard at the front desk and wait for them to arrive. When they did, Mark would inquire as to the location of the restrooms. After he walked off and Jing was distracted looking around the lobby, I would walk back to the bathroom hall, where Mark would hand off the ring. We executed it flawlessly!

I got the ring, wished Mark luck (not that he needed any) and hurried up to the second floor to the Radford Gallery to play the ring on a pedestal that I had placed there earlier that day with the help of the preparators. I waited in the gallery, posing as security and guarding the ring till they arrived.

Mark played it cool! He slowly moved his soon-to-be fiancée through the galleries until he brought her to the proposal pedestal. There was her beautiful, princess-cut diamond and platinum ring on display with a label bearing a tender description of the object on view that Mark had written himself.

The moment was so sweet! Mark allowed Jing to read, while they both giggled with childlike excitement, completely giddy, and Jing shook her head in disbelief. Then he slowly picked up the ring, got down on one knee, turned to his love and... well... some nerves always get in the way! He paused holding up the ring, speechless, and ever so sweetly Jing leaned forward and said, "Are you going to say anything?" He laughed, told her he loved her and asked her to marry him.

The reply – "Yes!"