Final week, my pal John Jannuzzi, together with his coronary heart pounding, popped the query to his girlfriend Alex at the Metropolitan Museum of Artwork. Right here’s the way it went down…

John: We each knew that we wished to get married. However with the pandemic, there by no means gave the impression to be a very good time to suggest. Then we moved to Brooklyn, we received a canine, and I used to be like f*ck it I’m going to do it.

At the starting of the 12 months, I began doing my ring analysis. Alex loves sapphires. Because it began getting extra severe, I informed my mother and father that I used to be trying at rings, and it turned out that my mom had a sapphire. (Have to be good, Mother!) My father had given it to her like 20 years in the past.

I introduced the sapphire to Brooklyn. It was the strangest feeling to be strolling round the metropolis with a gemstone. It felt like Uncut Gems. There’s a sapphire in my pocket. If I get mugged, this can be a dangerous day for it to occur.

I introduced the sapphire dwelling and it moved round the residence rather a lot.

Alex: Wait, I’m listening to this for the first time.

John: Sure! I put it in my shaving equipment, numerous locations in the lavatory, and saved transferring it round the home. Then I reached out to Laurel Pantin, a jewellery advisor, and Millie and Noah, a jewellery designer. We began this loopy Instagram DM dialog. They’re freaking out, I’m freaking out, we’re sending designs backwards and forwards. We have been designing it throughout Instagram. I used to be like, wow, what a world!

As soon as I received the completed ring, I received actually fidgety about proposing. I’m texting all of her associates. Everybody in New York Metropolis besides Alex knew that I used to be going to suggest.

However I had to determine a plan. Once we first began courting, we’d usually go to the Met to see the Degas ballerinas. It got here into my thoughts that that may be a extremely good place to suggest.

Alex: I at all times wish to go to the Met to see my ballerinas.

John: So, I stated, I’ve some trip days off, let’s go to the Met.

Alex: I used to be like, respect.

John: First, I went on Google Maps to look at the Met’s floorplan. There’s a stupendous archway resulting in the Degas statue of a ballerina. And it’s flanked by two different Degas. Degas is occurring throughout the place. So, I knew I needed to information her to the archway.

The day really comes once we’re heading to the museum. I’ve the ring in my pocket and was terrified that they’d pat me down at safety and be like WHAT’S IN THE BOX. However fortunately we get via.

Then Alex says she’s hungry. We find yourself in the basement cafeteria of the Met, which is the reverse nook from the place I want us to be.

The route I had deliberate — going up the grand staircase, via the images exhibit, and many others. — was not going to occur. So, now we’re strolling via the galleries, and I’m trying at the work like, stunning, stunning, nice, okay — looking for the one I’m in search of.

After which I see a determine sitting on a bench in a gallery cloaked in black, and I understand that’s Hunter. I had requested my outdated pal Hunter to return there to secretly take photographs. However the tough factor about Hunter is that they’ve rainbow hair. So, they’re very recognizable. They wore a black hood to cowl their hair. Hunter being dressed like a demon was maintaining individuals out of the gallery!

Alex: I want there have been a reverse photograph of them sitting there.

John: I used to be like, that’s both Hunter or I’m going to die from this grim reaper. All we might see was the again of their head. That they had a giant hooded coat on.

Alex: I’m nonetheless utterly oblivious. I didn’t discover Hunter. I used to be on a beeline to the ballerinas like a five-year-old.

John: Up up to now, clearly, my head is racing however I’m maintaining it cool. As soon as we received into the gallery, I couldn’t converse. I stated one thing like, oh yeah this jogs my memory of once we first began courting, haha. I information her gently towards the arch. I had all the pieces I wished to say deliberate out. I take out the ring field and I’m down on one knee. At that time, I understand she has NO IDEA what’s taking place.

Alex: I instantly received down on my knee and panda hugged him. I don’t even bear in mind what he stated, I simply began crying. I used to be holding him so tightly.

John: It was nice, I didn’t need to plead my case!

Alex: I might hear the click on click on click on from Hunter.

John: And I stated, that’s Hunter. And that’s when she screamed LOUDLY.

Alex: I made a scene at the Met.

John: Folks began coming as much as us. Even the docent was like, congratulations.

Alex: It was like slow-mo. It was loopy the quantity of happiness I felt.

John: It was euphoric.

Alex: I used to be crying and knocking down our masks so I might make out with him. It was like something I might do to really feel nearer to him. It was a really intimate public second.

John: We solely pulled down our masks for a second! We’re each totally vaccinated!

Alex: Afterward we went to a close-by bar and had martinis. The entire time, I used to be like, I really feel so filthy! I hadn’t showered in two days. I used to be like, why didn’t you inform me to bathe?!

John: However I used to be like, if I inform her she ought to bathe, she’ll know one thing’s up.

Alex: The ring is so killer. I’m simply now winding down from the exhilaration of all of it and really appreciating this ring.

John: There’s at all times trepidation about if the particular person will like the ring or not. However as quickly as she put it on, I used to be like, that ring is Alex, Alex is that ring.

Congratulations, John and Alex!!! Examine John’s cookies and Alex’s group firm right here, for those who’d like. And for those who’ve been engaged earlier than, what was the proposal like? Or did you simply discuss it? We’d love to listen to.

P.S. Seven Metropolis Corridor weddings, and extra enjoyable proposal tales.

(Photographs by Hunter Abrams.)