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Third graders help surprise beloved music teacher with a proposal on the last day of school

She thought the cameras were rolling for a different reason.

Courtesy of\u00a0Ladue Schools Communications Department

Danielle Sutherland poses with her fiancé Josh and her third grade class at Old Bonhomme Elementary School.

Summer break got off to a sweet start for music teacher Danielle Sutherland. The third grade teacher at Old Bonhomme Elementary School in St. Louis, Missouri got the surprise of a lifetime when her class helped her fiancé Josh propose to her on the last day of school.

He planned an elaborate proposal disguised as part of an end-of-year interview with the school district's Director of Communications, Kimberly G. McKenzie, M.A.

"Josh apparently reached out to my Principal about a month ago letting her know what he wanted to do. From there, it just took off!" Sutherland tells Upworthy. "My third grade teammates, ESL teacher, music teacher, and a few others all orchestrated a plan. Kimberly came on the last day of school to 'do an interview and photoshoot to include in the end of year communication about elementary choirs'."

Sutherland was told to dress up for the interview. "What a bummer!!" she quips. "I went to the 'interview' and we took pictures. Little did I know that my students were not just having a snack waiting for me to get back, but were instead being clued in on the big surprise."

After the interview, Sutherland walked back into her classroom where "Invisible String" by Taylor Swift was playing, and she saw Josh standing there. She immediately burst into tears.

"Josh brought his parents, my parents, my brothers, other family, close friends, and asked the students if they would help him pop the question!" she adds. "Needless to say, I was completely surprised (hearing) my students say 'Will you marry him?' Between shaking hands and lots of happy tears, I said YES!"

proposal, marriage proposal, engaged, engagement, surprise engagementDanielle Sutherland poses with her fiancé Josh and her third grade class at Old Bonhomme Elementary School.Courtesy of Ladue Schools Communications Department

The proposal went off without a hitch, and Sutherland was completely surprised. "As a little girl, I’ve dreamed about this day forever, and he somehow planned a proposal that was greater than I could have ever imagined," she says. "My students mean the world to me. They are truly my family for an entire year."

She credits Josh for planning the truly perfect proposal: "Josh knew what I wanted without me ever saying a word about it. He knows me more than I know myself," she adds. "He knew how important it was for me to include my students (my classroom family) in this massive life moment. My heart was overwhelmingly full."

danielle sutherland, josh, engagement, proposal, marriage proposalJosh proposes to Old Bonhomme Elementary School third grade teacher Danielle Sutherland.Courtesy of Ladue Schools Communications Department

Sutherland also shared more about the couple's love story, and how the two met. "Josh and I have been together for a little over a year. He moved from Cape Girardeau to St. Louis, and he works for the city of Brentwood. He is truly the most wonderful man I have ever met. He has made all of my wildest dreams a reality," she says. "I am a self-proclaimed 'professional bridesmaid' and have been in so many weddings of my friends. He made sure that I had the big romantic gesture that every woman deserves. I couldn’t be more excited to spend the rest of my life with him!"

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Man uses Pokemon cards to propose to girlfriend in the most wholesome engagement ever

People are gushing over the simplicity and sweetness of the surprise.

@katileev/TikTok

You don't see a Pokémon card proposal every day.

We've seen lots of creative proposals using elaborately planned props—a woman's favorite Disney movie, a fake classroom fight, "Everything, Everywhere, All at Once," and more. But one sweet proposal took a simpler prop approach, with no less happy of an ending.

According to Dexterto, Zachary Rodriguez, 27, had been dating Kati Van Eaton, 23, for nearly 18 months when he decided to pop the big question. Zach and Kati share a love of Pokémon and one of their favorite hobbies is opening new packs of Pokémon cards together.

When Kati started opening her pack of cards with the camera rolling, Zach said he wanted to trade. She said, "A trade? Okay." Then he said "I go first, though."

After looking through the traded stack and not finding anything interesting, it was Kati's turn. She stopped mid-stack for one unusual card that she set aside. But the real surprise card came at the very end—a Fighting Energy card with "Kati Lee Van Eaton Will You Marry Me" written on it.

Her face when she sees it says it all.

Zach got down on one knee and said, "I love you so much, Kati Van Eaton. And I cherish all the times we've been together…I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

And Kati, absolutely beaming, said yes. “I’m so happy!" she said, wiping away tears.

Watch:

@katileev

MY BOYFRIEND PURPOSED! 💍💍

And Part 2:

The proposal took place in 2022, but it's gone viral again and again on social media, with people gushing over the wholesomeness of the whole thing.

"Her face when she realizes is the very definition of pure joy and love," wrote one commenter on Reddit. "They are too cute together."

"Aye, you could tell she was desperate to say 'yes' while he was talking," replied another.

"I’m so happy for them, what an adorable couple," wrote a commenter on X. "Thank you for restoring my faith in humanity."

"Nerd love, it’s precious. This dude is a king!" added another.

Some people mistakenly think romance and love needs to include expensive, elaborate gestures, but all that really matters is that it's genuine.

Here's to these two Pokémon lovers for keeping it real. Here's a glimpse of their wedding:

@katileev

I’m in love! 🥰🥰🥰 thanks Patrica! #weddingtiktok #wedding @patriciaperezpicazo @patriciaperezphoto

You can see more videos from the big day on Kati's TikTok here.

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Man enlists the help of a cockatoo for one of the most unique proposals ever caught on video

@7NewsSC/Twitter

As we careen through the first few weeks of 2021, we could all use a feel-good story. And what's better than a sweet proposal story to bring us all a bit of joy?

Jesse took his girlfriend Erin to a bird show at the Australian Zoo last week. (Since Australia has managed to control the pandemic, people are able to do such things. Isn't that nice?) The bird handler introduced the audience to Euli, a red-tailed black cockatoo, then asked the audience for a volunteer. Erin stood up and waved her arms, and when she was chosen, she assumed she'd gotten lucky.

The bird handler had Erin pull out a five-dollar bill and hold it in her hand with her arm out. Euli, the handler said, would know exactly who to go to since she was holding the money. Sure enough, Euli flew up to Erin, took the bill from her hand, and flew back.

Then the handler said Euli was going to take Erin her "receipt." The bird flew up, handed Erin a piece of paper. The handler told Erin to open it and read it, and that's when she got the surprise of her life.

The look on Erin's face is classic as it sinks in that Jesse is proposing to her. (If you watch him carefully, you can see him pulling the ring from his pocket as she's opening up the note.) She turns to look at him, and he smoothly goes down on one knee with the ring.

And of course—thankfully, because it would be really embarrassing if she didn't—Erin said yes.

Clearly, if Jesse knew Erin well enough to know that she'd immediately stand up and wave both arms when a bird show emcee asked for a volunteer, he probably knew she was going to say yes when the bird handed her a proposal. Coordinating the surprise was the bigger issue, and he and the handler pulled it off beautifully.

Way to go, Jesse. We've seen some creative proposals before (Remember the guy who edited the Disney movie?) but it's been a while since we've gotten to enjoy one of these in-public surprise moments.

And right now, we can all use this kind of wholesome feel-good story to brighten our day. Hugs and applause and all the warm gushy feelings. Congrats to the adorable young couple.


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See the heart-bursting moment a man 'proposed' to his girlfriend's 5-year-old daughter.

Dating as a single parent isn't easy. Just ask Cassandra Reschar.

"I have full custody of my daughter and very little 'me' time," she wrote on How He Asked. There are over 13 million parents in the U.S. just like her.

Then she met Grant Tribbett online, and the two hit it off big-time over the next couple of weeks, constantly trading messages and eventually phone calls.

Their relationship blossomed from there, and one day, six months or so into dating, Tribbett asked Reschar and her 5-year-old daughter, Adrianna, to come on a walk through the woods with him.

In the middle of the forest, on a small wooden footbridge, Tribbett dropped to one knee and asked Reschar to spend the rest of her life with him.

The proposal was a big surprise, but Tribbett had a few more tricks up his sleeve:

"As soon as he got down on one knee, my friend, who is a professional photographer (Mandi Gilliland), came out of hiding and captured one of the best moments of my life!" Reschar wrote.

All photos by Mandi Gilliland Photography, used with permission.

Kids aren't usually invited along on romantic walks in the woods, but Tribbett wanted Adrianna to be there for an incredibly touching reason.

After getting the "Yes!" and sliding an engagement ring onto Reschar's finger, he turned to Adrianna and got back down on one knee.

"Adrianna, can I be your daddy?" he said.

"To promise to love and protect you for the rest of your life?"

He even offered her a small heart necklace.

As Reschar burst into happy tears, Adrianna could only muster a meek "thank you" at first.

"I finally get a Daddy, Mommy!" Adrianna finally yelled, according to her mom.

"I finally get a Daddy..."

The family's story is capturing hearts all across the internet. "He knew that my daughter was my world and that this wasn’t just a commitment between us but a commitment to our family," Reschar told the Huffington Post.

The photos are touching, but they also prove an important point: Most research has shown that parental makeup plays little to no role in a child's long-term well-being.

Meaning: There's no right or wrong way to make a family. What's important is that kids feel love and commitment from their parents, whether they be exes, gay, straight, step, or anything else.

Kudos to the happy couple and Adrianna for bringing this important message to the world.

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