“Will you marry me?” is not just a question but a moment that can change your life. Meet 33-year-old Danny Rios who popped the question to his longtime girlfriend Nicole Carfagna and left her speechless. Danny Rios orchestrated a surprise proposal for Nicole which was followed by a surprise wedding, all in one night.
Danny’s motivation was to alleviate the stress of wedding planning for his bride Nicole who suffers from Lupus – a chronic illness which gets aggravated by stress.
“I give women so much credit for all the planning they do for weddings. I kind of turned into a ‘bridezilla’ during it,” revealed Danny to ABC news.
Danny came up with the idea in August when they returned from a trip last month, just days after Nicole’s birthday. He picked out the engagement rings and wedding bands on his own and requested Nicole’s mother to help out with the wedding dress.
He kept everything related to the wedding a secret. When Danny and Nicole were travelling just before the wedding, he called his parents to stay at their house and gave them specific instructions to decorate the backyard.
On December 8, when Nicole arrived home after their trip, she thought it was a surprise birthday party for her. But that’s when Danny got down on his knees and proposed to her in front of all their friends and family.
Nicole recalls:
“Danny said, ‘You know how much I love you and if you want we can do this tonight. All of our closest friends and family are here. He told me to turn around and a dress and tux were hanging there.”
Within hours of getting engaged, lovebirds Danny and Nicole Rios became husband and wife in a backyard ceremony officiated by Danny’s dad.
Only their immediate family knew that a wedding was going to happen that night and when Danny told everyone that they’re tying the knot, the guests erupted in cheers. “It was exactly what I would have wanted. I really couldn’t have imagined a better way to marry him,” said Nicole Rios.
Both Danny and Nicole blogged about the night and said that they hope their wedding drives attention to Lupus too. Danny revealed:
“We want anyone who has it to know that if you have Lupus, it’s a crummy disease but you can still find happiness. It’s out there. Don’t stop looking.”
Danny and Nicole’s story is proof that weddings aren’t about fuss but fun. Even simple weddings in presence of your special ones can be equally overwhelming because eventually, all that matters is love.
