Wedding proposals with a twist

FROM under the water to the top of the Harbour Bridge, check out these quirky wedding proposals that have the “aww” factor ahead of Valentine’s Day.

David Ratcliffe proposed to his girlfriend Emma Smith via the big screen at the cinema.

WEDDING proposals do not have to be boring. In the lead-up to Valentine’s Day on Tuesday we have put together a list of some of the more unusual wedding proposals to whet your appetite for the most romantic day of the year.

Phill and Andrea got engaged while diving at Cabbage Tree Bay. Picture: Braden Fasteir

1. UNDER WATER

It was their usual weekend dive but with a very romantic twist. While diving at Cabbage Tree Bay at Manly in 2015 Phill Nicotra took girlfriend Andrea Smith to a spot where she could see the sharks better. And when the pair got there she saw a treasure box on the seabed. He fetched the box and brought it up to the surface. “I’m so naive — when I saw the box I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, someone’s dropped their treasure chest’, ” Ms Smith said. When Mr Nicotra opened the box it had the words “Will you marry me?” inside.

2. TARONGA ZOO BIRD SHOW

If your girlfriend is a zoo keeper than where else are you going to propose than a zoo? Meghan was in the middle of delivering her bird show at Taronga Zoo last December when she selected “the man in the blue shirt” to hold up a coin for Joe Joe the galah to collect and deliver to her pocket. What the audience did not know is the “man in the blue” shirt was Meghan’s partner and Joe Joe did not deliver a coin to Meghan’s pocket — it was an engagement ring.

Valentines Day. David Ratcliffe proposed to his girlfriend Emma Smith via big screen cinema. Pictured at their Concord home.

3. AT THE MOVIES

David Ratcliffe went all-out for his proposal to Emma. He pre-recorded a video of himself, which he arranged to be played at a cinema while he was out getting popcorn. Emma had no idea what was going on and neither did the other 150 people who had bought tickets to Get Smart in 2010. Suddenly David, who had also organised for family and friends to be there, appeared in a full tuxedo and proposed.

Engaged couple Paul Ellis and Stephanie Crosswell on Sydney Harbour Bridge Valentine’s Day last year.

4. ON TOP OF THE HARBOUR BRIDGE

There were two dawn proposals, to the backdrop of not only the sun rising over the harbour but also the Barbershop Quartet, on Valentine’s Day last year. Paul Ellis from Nottingham, UK, got down on one knee for his girlfriend of four years, Stephanie Cross well from Nottingham, UK. While Karen Livingston from Hunterview, Singleton, took advantage of the leap year tradition and proposed to her partner of 18 months Andrew Egan. Andrew said it was “the most romantic spot ever to be engaged”.

5. THE WILD LIFE WOMBAT EXPRESS

Meg the wombat played cupid at WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo in 2013. The video camera was rolling as the too-cute tubby juvenile southern hairy nosed wombat walked through to zoo in a pretty pink harness with a ring box attached to it. Toby Alam and Reya Bokshi were admiring the koalas in Gumtree Valley when Meg walked in, the ring box open and exposing a diamond engagement ring that Toby takes and presents to the animal-loving Raya in this super-cute marriage proposal.

Chris Haywood from Oran Park proposed to his girlfriend Emma Law on Better Homes and Gardens.

6. ON A TV SHOW

Chris Haywood proposed to girlfriend Emma Law on national TV in 2012. Chris had applied to Channel 7’s Better Homes and Gardens show for chef `”Fast’’ Ed Halmagy to come to his “Dinner Party Rescue’’ — to help prepare a special Valentine’s Day dinner. Emma, a nurse, was in the dark, thinking she was coming home to one of Chris’s chicken burgers. Emma froze when she saw Ed but a bigger surprise was waiting. A couple of bites into the delicious chocolate mousse dessert, Chris dropped down on bended knee and presented a ring, with the whole scene captured by the television cameras.

Cunards Queen Mary 2 arrived in Sydney in 2012 with a sign attached to the top that said "Marry Me Jess".

8. SYDNEY HARBOUR

THE enormous black and white sign hung over the side of the Queen Mary II as it sailed into Sydney Harbour on Valentines Day in 2012 read “Marry me, Jess”. At 8.40am the Today show mysteriously found the couple, named Jess McGarrity and Stefan Libon and just happened to film them as the groom-to-be got down on one knee. The two were snapped kissing under a giant red heart.

Charlie Hopkins proposes to girlfriend Nicole Nault at 2009 Valentines Day race meeting at Royal Randwick in Sydney.

9. RANDWICK RACECOURSE

CHARLIE Hopkins backed the ultimate winner in race two at Randwick in 2009. The Punters Club member, who won naming rights to the race, came up with the Marry Me Nicole Handicap. Mr Hopkins said the Valentine’s Day race was the perfect occasion to propose to his girlfriend, Nicole Nault, 21, trackside.

10. COLDPLAY CONCERT

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin gave up the spotlight halfway through singing “A Sky Full of Stars” at a concern in Australia in December to let a men propose. Lonardo Tanno grabbed the microphone and thanked girlfriend Felicia Lie for her love over the past three years. After making a joking reference to Chris being his new best friend Lonardo got down on one knee and asked Felicia to marry him.