Gavin Becker, an aviation student at the University of North Dakota, turned to his parents to help come up with ideas to pop the question to his girlfriend Olivia Toft.
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They decided the most fitting way for Becker to propose was in the air over Eight Crow Wing Lake, the same place his dad proposed 28 years ago. The family decided to carve out "Marry Me" with a giant heart on top of the frozen lake. Toft had asked Becker for an airplane ride for Christmas, helping the plans fit together.
Becker initially planned to propose on New Years Eve, but after the couple came down with strep throat, the plans were postposed another week.
Early morning on Saturday, Jan. 6, Becker's parents, his sister Katie and Katie's boyfriend spent over four hours writing the giant message into the frozen lake. According to DL-Online, the family used a 200-foot tape measure to write out the 25 feet tall and 15 feet wide letters. Becker's dad, Ed, used a snowblower to carve the message.
Becker had rented a plane and was ready to propose, but due to 25-below-zero temperatures, the plane would not start. The proposal had to wait until the next day.
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On Sunday, Jan. 7, around 2 pm, Becker and Toft few over the giant love message carved into the frozen lake.
"She looked at me a second, then looked again at the message a second, then back at me. In my head, I said, 'Now's the time to do it.' I fumbled for the ring," Becker told DL-Online.
He had prepared a speech, but all he could get out was "Will you marry me?"
Toft was "happy, excited, shocked," and she said "yes."