Picture trucks and trailers blasting music and masqueraders chipping through the streets, suddenly the music stops and there is a man down on one knee proposing to his girlfriend. That's exactly what entrepreneur Marcus Sun Kow did when he asked his girlfriend of eight years, Suzette Boissiere to marry him on Carnival Tuesday.
An announcement by the DJ and a banner hanging from the music truck carrying the words: "Ehhh Suz Marrid Meh Nah?" indicated to revellers in Fantasy, a marriage proposal was taking place.
After weeks of planning, 29-year-old Sun Kow made good on his promise to give 28-year-old Boissiere, a brand manager at Marketing and Distributors, the most memorable proposal. Along the St James route, he got down on one knee in the middle of the jump-up and asked his lady love to be his bride.
T&T Guardian caught up with the newly-engaged couple while they were having lunch at Trincity Mall in Trincity on Thursday. Speaking via telephone, Sun Kow said the two have been talking about marriage for some time now. He said he has always wanted to pop the question in a non-traditional way.
"There were plans previously to do the proposal on Old Year's night but it did not work out. I felt Carnival would have been the perfect opportunity as all our family and friends are here, plus we've been playing mas together for the past six years... we both love Carnival," said Sun Kow.
With the help of his sister Tonya, Sun Kow said they initially planned to do the proposal once the band reached the big stage, but that did not work out either. "Carnival is such an iffy time–everything is so unexpected. My sister finally decided that I should do it along Mucurapo Road or St James and we stuck to that," said Sun Kow.
They began searching for an appropriate spot along the location on Monday and in front of the Western Pharmacy, opposite Royal Castle in St James, seemed perfect. However, many obstructions leading up to the proposal could have placed a complete damper on things: from getting caught behind the band to security who were not informed, forcing his friends who were to release the banner off the truck–everything was creating a delay.
"About 4.30 pm they somehow got around to letting down the banner and I got down on one knee and proposed to her. She was in complete shock," said Sun Kow. Boissiere said, "I was shocked because somebody tapped me on my shoulder and said "Suz look." I read it in my mind, the way I know he would say something like that, so I got a gist of what was going on. When I turned around he was on one knee asking me to marry him," she said.
Sun Kow said he did not use the actual ring the moment of the proposal and proposed to Boissiere again with the real ring when they got to their Diego Martin home. A date to tie the knot has not yet been decided but they did indicate it would be some time next year.