Creative Marriage Proposals

Looking for a way to pop the question that he or she will never forget? Then take a clue from the winners of a recent"Perfect Proposal Contest" sponsored by Korbel Champagne and be creative..no, we mean .really, really creative...

Casino Casanova

The grand prize winner was 27-year-old Raymond Suarez, a physician from Yonkers, N.Y., and his girlfriend, Maria Villar of Bronx, N.Y. The couple had spent their first vacation together in Atlantic City. While they didn't win any money that weekend, they took a chance on each other and have been happy with the returns ever since!

So Suarez turned to another casino for his ultimate gamble on love. For his proposal, Suarez took a romantic roll of the dice at The Paris Hotel Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. While wandering the floor of the casino, Suarez encouraged the unsuspecting Villar to pull the lever on an oversized, eight-foot tall slot machine. What Villar didn't know was that the machine's reels were rigged to spell out "WILL YOU MARRY ME?" Surrounded by Las Vegas showgirls and a crowd of cheering onlookers, Suarez dropped to one knee and offered Villar a beautiful diamond ring. Luckily, it was a gamble that paid off -- Villar enthusiastically accepted!

With the help of an eight-foot tall slot machine, Korbel Perfect Proposal Contest grand prize winner Raymond Suarez, of Yonkers, N.Y., played "King of Hearts" with a larger-than-life proposal to his unsuspecting girlfriend, Maria Villar, at The Paris Hotel Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Villar pulled the lever during a stroll though the casino, winning the jackpot as the reels appeared with Suarez's "Will You Marry Me?" message. Photo by Isaac Brekken. (PRNewsFoto)

Writing the Book of Love

Window shopping took on new meaning for 31-year-old Andre Shina of Troy, Mich., and his girlfriend Kelly Keith of Roseville, Mich., the first prize winners.

Having never visited a big city, Keith always wanted to take a shopping trip to Chicago. With this in mind, Shina dreamt up an elaborate proposal incorporating the famous windows at the flagship Marshall Field's department store. Shina whisked Keith off for a romantic weekend in Chicago where they strolled past the unique display windows at Marshall Field's. When the couple arrived at a curtain-covered window, two tuxedo-clad "Cupids" pulled back the curtain to reveal a magical "Book of Love"-themed display complete with an oversized, old-fashioned book page reading "KELLY, WILL YOU MARRY ME?" Violinists serenaded the duo as Shina declared his intentions on bended knee, in front of a crowd of Saturday afternoon shoppers. An elated Keith quickly exclaimed "Yes!"

A Twist on Tradition

Though 64 percent of male respondents in a recent survey would accept a marriage proposal from a woman, only 31 percent of female respondents said they would propose marriage to a man. Except for Kristin Dunn, that is!

The Boise, Idaho resident, another first prize winner, and her boyfriend Tim Szofran, also of Boise, are self- described "plant nerds" studying horticulture at Boise State University. With their shared love of flowers and gardens in mind, Dunn dreamed of using a natural setting to eschew tradition and pop the question to Szofran. While enjoying what Szofran thought was a typical weekend getaway in Denver, the couple took a tour at the Denver Botanic Gardens. They stepped outside to view a special exhibit when Dunn turned Szofran to her hillside marriage proposal made of three-foot tall, flower-laden letters spelling out "MARRY ME TIM?" Szofran was stunned, but recovered to embrace Dunn as he excitedly replied "Yes!"

What They Won:

Hundreds of entrants submitted their unique proposal ideas, and Korbel selected three lucky winners to make their dreams a reality, complete with a Blue Nile Signature Collection diamond engagement ring. The entries were judged on creativity, romantic theme and originality, and the grand prize-winning proposal earned one of the couples -- Raymond Suarez and Maria Villar of New York -- an unforgettable seven-day honeymoon cruise to Hawaii or the Caribbean on Norwegian Cruise Line.

Related Pages:

• The World's Best Places to Propose
• Popping the Question