Video: Marriage proposal at Dubai Expo site goes viral on Valentine's Day

It’s not enough to get down on one’s knee anymore. A marriage proposal can become a breakout moment in a couple’s lives. Freeze frame moments on social media platforms such as Instagram or Twitter and captured on video for posterity make the occasion memorable and poignant.

DON'T MISS: Inside Dubai Expo pavilion that is now open to public

An outing to the Expo 2020 site on a beautiful, sunny day turned into a big surprise and perhaps the most memorable day yet for a woman who was caught unawares by her boyfriend, family, and friends.

When Chirag Lakhiani, a Dubai-based entrepreneur, decided to pop the quintessential question, ‘Will you marry me?’ to his lady love, Kritika Ramchandani, he wanted to do it in style.

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“First, I thought of proposing Kritika on air, on City101.6, but because of Covid-19 restrictions that idea got struck down. Then, I was thinking of Burj Khalifa or Burj Al Arab — these are the most iconic sites in Dubai. Then, RJ Lokesh of City 101.6, who is a friend, suggested doing it at the Expo2020 site. I was instantly convinced. Expo2020 is the most talked about site in the UAE right now, and it is all about the future. This was the first big step of my future, too. It seemed perfect,” said Lakhiani.

No time was wasted, and an email enquiry was sent to the Expo 2020 team in January, and preparations were afoot in a matter of days.

“We decided to do this on Kritika’s birthday, February 12,” said Lakhaini, and it worked.

He wowed his lady love, who was left teary-eyed, in the presence of a handful of friends and family members while taking all the precautionary measures to keep the contagion at bay.

Ramchandani told Khaleej Times: “I had no idea about this. When we entered the Expo, I started seeing members of my family, then a couple of friends, and then a birthday banner. I had a wide grin on, but little did I know that there was something else too.

"I turned around to talk to Chirag, who to my surprise was already on his knees with a ring in his hand. A Shahrukh Khan song started playing in the background. It was dreamlike."

The couple is slated to tie the knot sometime later this year.

At one point in time, marriage proposals were ritualised moments only in select cultures.

But over the years, it has found acceptance among a larger audience, adding oomph to the experience. From popping the question at a restaurant to orchestrating an elaborate event, some romantic souls are eager to go the extra mile to make their marriage proposals memorable.

suneeti@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai
• Abu Dhabi