pink weddings magazine » 33
Konrad and robert
Konrad shares his picture-
perfect proposal at the
annual Balloon Fiesta
R
obert and I had our first date in September of
2012, at a Starbucks near my flat. this wasn’t a
‘love at first sight’ meeting; I thought he wasn’t
interested! Later I found out that he came away
with a very different experience, and thought that
the date went well – I learned that he’s a little shy at first and
had recently come out of a bad relationship. He quickly
opened up over our next few dates.
I’m a gay activist and work in the mental health field,
while robert is a former competitive jazz tap dancer who
works in the financial industry. We fell in love, and eventually
got a flat together in Portland, oregon.
robert proposed at the annual balloon Fiesta in
albuquerque, new Mexico. It’s the most photographed event
in the world and used to be sponsored by Kodak. It’s a
congregation of hot air balloon enthusiasts and it draws
hundreds of hot air balloons and thousands of spectators
every year. the balloons li off in waves on certain days,
creating a gorgeous effect against the new Mexican sky and
mountainous background.
robert had grown up in albuquerque, so he had seen the
balloons many times – but it was my first time at the event.
We woke up around 4.30am to make it to the dawn Patrol,
where about a dozen initial balloons li off to test the
weather and wind patterns for the other balloonists. the
dawn Patrol goes up around 5.30am, followed by the Mass
ascension, where balloons go off in waves.
eventually, robert led me away from our party and turned
to face me. He told me that he had brought me down to new
Mexico for a certain reason, and that he had something
important to ask me. He got down on one knee and asked if I
would marry him. I answered, ‘Yes! of course, yes!’
‘It was a perfect moment
with the balloons floa ng
overhead, the excitement
of a new experience, the
gorgeous mountains
reaching up to the sky in
the distance and strangers
smiling all around us.’
Luckily a stranger walking past snapped a photo of the
moment, which I’ll be forever grateful for. We’ll be able to
look back on that with fondness for the rest of our lives and
it captured a completely candid moment between us.
We are now happily planning on getting married in the
summer of 2016 at Silver Creek Falls State Park in oregon.
It’s located in an old growth pine forest at the top of a
waterfall, and the stone and wood lodge can accommodate
the 60 guests we plan on inviting. the lodge also has an
outdoor courtyard and multiple fireplaces, making the venue
very unique – just like our proposal!
Have you got a proposal story you’d like
to share? Get in touch and send your
story to
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