The Real Story Behind This Amazing Proposal Photo
We just had to talk to the adorable lovebirds featured—Sicely White and Ian Mireri, high school sweethearts from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Photo: Krista Esterling Photography
When we first saw this amazing photo, we were pretty much blown away.
The image by Krista Esterling Photography truly encapsulates the perfect proposal—the surprise, the joy, the emotion, the love. So it wasn’t too surprising that this shot won our 2015 #JustSaidYes contest. We just had to talk to the adorable lovebirds featured—Sicely White and Ian Mireri, high school sweethearts from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Ian proposed on the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis, a particularly meaningful spot. “We went there for prom one year,” Ian recalls. “And as we were leaving I turned back and in my head I thought ‘I’m going to propose to Sicely on this bridge one day.’”
It wasn’t as simple as just dropping down on one knee and presenting a ring—Ian wanted friends and family present for the big moment, but also wanted to keep the whole thing a secret. He decided that the proposal would take place on a Saturday in February after church, and informed just a few loved ones earlier in the week prior to avoid spoiling the surprise. Sicely’s cousin, Krista, volunteered to take photos of the big moment. The rest of the couple’s family members and friends were told about the proposal the day before.
When the big day arrived, “Sicely was not having the best day,” says Ian. “But I was going to make it better.”
Ian’s biggest challenge was getting Sicely to agree to go to the Stone Arch Bridge. While the couple was heading home from church, he asked Sicely if she thought the Minnehaha Falls (a prominent waterfall in the city) had frozen over. She said she wasn’t sure. Then he asked if she thought the Mississippi River under the Stone Arch Bridge was frozen over.
To his amazement, Sicely answered: “Let’s go find out!” She claims that she had no idea that the proposal was happening that day and really did just want to take a walk on the bridge to clear her mind.
“We had been talking about getting married for a while,” says Sicely. “We had gone ring shopping, and I was starting to wonder if it was ever going happen.”
With 40 family members and friends hiding on the southern side of the bridge, Ian led Sicely to the northern side where they admired the view.
“Ian turned around in a very specific way and then he got down on one knee. I was completely surprised. He kissed me and when I stood up I heard everybody start screaming and running toward us. They swarmed us like paparazzi!” Sicely recalls. You can see the couple’s loved ones in the background of the photo.
Ian had even coordinated to have one of Sicely’s best friends from Colorado on FaceTime to witness the whole thing.
“I literally screamed,” says Sicely. “I was hugging everybody; it was so overwhelming. Somebody turned me around and pointed me toward Krista. She gave me this little smile and I knew she had captured the moment. We’re really close and it was so special to have her there.”
The couple had lots of advice to share for the proposal-planners out there. They fully recommend browsing for engagement rings as a couple—but perhaps not making the purchase together.
“I have very specific taste so it was good to give Ian a feel for what I like,” Sicely says. “It was exciting to know that the proposal was coming and since we didn’t pick out the exact ring, it was still a surprise.”
When it comes to planning the proposal, Ian recommends choosing a place that’s familiar. “Be in a space where you feel comfortable whether it’s in your home or on a bridge, like us. You can just be yourself.”
And their most important words of wisdom? Take it all in and be in the moment. “Before I proposed, I took a moment to clear my mind. I wasn’t thinking about the photographer, I wasn’t thinking about how great it was that Sicely got herself on the bridge. That picture is a genuine photo—I wasn’t thinking about anything else but my fiancée.”
“You’re committing to spending your life with somebody,” says Sicely. “In that moment, I felt the love all around us.”
Sicely and Ian are planning a wedding for April 2017 in Minneapolis.
