Anyone who's ever proposed to their significant other will tell you that coming up with a good proposal idea — and I mean a really, really good one — takes a fair amount of forethought and planning. And sometimes, getting a helping hand from friends and family can make all the difference in creating a truly special moment. At least, that was the case for one man in Navasota, Texas, who enlisted the help of his sister to pop the question to his girlfriend — right in the middle of his sister's wedding reception!
It happened last weekend, as guests at Sierra McGinty-Rush's wedding were gathering for the traditional bouquet toss.
Among them was Baylee Gillmore, who just so happens to be dating Sierra's brother, Solomon McGinty. But as the ladies gathered in the center of the dance floor, huddling together in excitement and no doubt wondering who would catch the bouquet and be the next to get married, Sierra did something no one was expecting.Â
Instead of tossing the bouquet behind her, she turned around, walked directly toward the crowd, and handed the bouquet to one woman in particular: Baylee.
Unbeknownst to Baylee, her boyfriend had snuck up behind her, and when she turned around, she discovered him down on one knee -- with a ring.
Let's just say, she was pretty blown away by the whole thing. And so were most of the wedding guests, who quickly found themselves tearing up at the unexpected proposal.
"You are everything I could have ever dreamed of and so much more … I love you!!!" Baylee later wrote on Facebook, when she shared images and video of the proposal.
According to Sierra, the proposal wasn't a spur-of-the-moment idea -- the siblings had planned it for months.
âIt was my idea to do it during the reception so our family and friends would be able to witness it," Sierra later told Yahoo Lifestyle. "My brother currently lives in Boston, [so] having them both in Texas was the perfect place and time.â
She did her best to make sure the whole thing was a secret too — right up until the very last minute.
âDuring the bouquet toss my bridesmaids surrounded her and I danced around to distract her so she wouldnât see my brother and her best friends behind her,â Sierra recalled.
Solomon admitted to Yahoo that the plan definitely gave him a lot of anxiety, but it was well worth it in the end.
âA lot of nerves were built up but I think I held it together pretty well,â he shared.
Making the plan even better was the fact that Solomon secretly flew in two of Baylee's best friends, so they could be there to surprise her after the proposal and celebrate her happiness with her.
âThe morning of the wedding Baylee came over for hair and makeup with me and the bridal party,â Sierra shared, explaining that it was then that Solomon secretly drove to the airport to pick up Baylee's friends.
The whole thing went off without a hitch -- exactly how the brother and sister duo planned it.
Since sharing the special moment online November 3, it's gone viral, bringing a flurry of congrats from all over the Internet.
"Oh my gosh, this is absolutely incredible and so precious!" one of the couple's friends wrote. "So excited for you Bayles! Love you girl!"
"You definitely found a keeper!" another person wrote. "We love him dearly and canât wait to get to know you too!"
Even Solomon's dad weighed in on the proposal, leaving this sweet comment on the Facebook thread: "Son, I know I have said this before, but I am proud of the man you have become. Baylee, love ya'll."
Of course, there were a few comments here and there from people across the Internet who felt the brother co-opted his sister's big day.
"Do. Not. Propose. At. My. Wedding" wrote one person on Twitter. "Iâm. So. Serious."
"365/66 days in a year and you choose to propose at someoneâs wedding," another person tweeted. "Thatâs their day luv they can be selfish about it."
Plenty of others rushed to Solomon's defense, though, reminding the critics that it was his sister's idea in the first place, and she was clearly in on the whole thing from the start. A fair amount of people also shrugged their shoulders at why such a thing would offend people.
"Personally I don't see my wedding day as my day," one man tweeted. "It's just a love day. Hundreds of people are prolly getting married at that moment. I don't mind sharing."
Clearly, Sierra doesn't either. But even so, Solomon publicly acknowledged the gesture when he shared moments from the day on Facebook, writing, "Thanks for sharing your day with me sis.â
He also told Yahoo Lifestyle that when Sierra first suggested the proposal idea, he wasn't actually into it — but she convinced him.
âI told her no at first because it was her day,â he said, adding, âshe asked me again and I told her if thatâs what you want then Iâm all for it.â
Looks like everyone (especially Baylee) is so glad he got on board.
