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Where some see romance, others see a way to make money

 

Luke Blackall
Tuesday 15 May 2012 00:16 BST
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Engaged signal? Nick Candy’s extravagant proposal to Holly Valance
Engaged signal? Nick Candy’s extravagant proposal to Holly Valance

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Aspiring husbands, if you thought that getting down on bended knee after a romantic meal was enough, think again. Today's generation of "bridezilla" need the perfect proposal if they are even going to consider matrimony.

At least that's the claim of The Proposers, a firm which claims to offer gentlemen (there is, of course, no suggestion that a lady would ever propose) a concierge service in organising everything required for her dream proposal.

Those who found billionaire property developer Nick Candy's proposal to former Neighbours star Holly Vallance ("Will you marry me?" written in a sign of fire letters on the beach in the Maldives) heart-warming rather than toe-curling should take note.

Those who don't will recognise that The Proposers is cashing in on the nonsense believed by those in our subtlety free society who are saturated on rom-coms. It also furthers the false notion that romance has to be enormous and expensive or it just doesn't count.

And for the unconvinced, the company attempts to scare them into action, with a list of "don'ts" on how not to propose.

"You've got nothing to lose," reads a bantery statement. "(except your missus when she dumps you for an embarrassing proposal)". What's more, the site features YouTube videos of extremely public proposal fails, with the warning "Don't make the same mistake as these guys".

Ignoring the fact that if you book a cameraman to film the occasion, that's probably your first mistake...

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