When Coast Guard Fireman Apprentice Austin Sines came home to Barberton for the holidays, he wanted to surprise his girlfriend with a night she wouldn’t forget.
“I wanted to make it as special as I could,” said Sines, 20, who is based at Harbor Beach, Mich.
Special it was. Sines held a mini flash mob to propose to Emily Gifford, 21, at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron on Tuesday night in front of their families and friends.
She said yes.
When Gifford, who lives in Louisville, arrived at Stan Hywet, she was escorted to a chair in front of a glowing tree that was still decorated for the holiday season. A radio was next to the chair with a sign on it that directed her to press play.
The music cued 10 friends of the couple to begin a choreographed dance to Marry You by Bruno Mars.
Then, the dancers moved to either side and pointed to a tent from which Sines emerged. He got down on one knee as Mars sang “I think I want to marry you.”
Gifford flashed a large smile when she saw Sines; they embraced after she said yes. She didn’t expect him to be home until the day after.
“I thought he was still on base,” Gifford said. “I was really surprised and excited, I had no idea.”
Sines said his best friend, Frank Lucas, arranged the whole thing.
“He [Sines] had a song ready and asked me to help, so I grabbed some friends and co-workers,” Lucas said. “I’m excited and proud for my friend, and I wish him the best.”
Lucas’ girlfriend, Nicole Wilks, who is Gifford’s good friend, choreographed the dance.
“It’s cool because most of us aren’t really dancers,” Wilks said.
The group had been planning for two months and practiced their dance in the hallways of buildings at Kent State where Wilks is a student.
The now-engaged couple met when Lucas invited Sines to a bonfire about a year and a half ago.
“I’ve been wanting to propose for awhile,” Sines said. “She’s really an awesome girl.”
Theresa Cottom can be reached at 330-996-3216 or tcottom@thebeaconjournal.com.