Once again, the bar has been raised. Wedding proposals seem to be getting more elaborate these days, but Nigel Chua's one might just take the cake. It's one thing to plan out an over-the-top proposal, but Nigel has been leaving clues for his girlfriend Ravelyn Ong since 2017.
The couple met during their time in Republic Polytechnic and have been together for almost seven years.
From the get-go, it seems Nigel already knew Ravelyn was the one and it didn't take long before the proposal clues were secretly placed in her birthday gifts.
Ravelyn was completely clueless about this long-term master plan, and on Monday (May 1), the 29-year-old shared a TikTok clip of how the proposal unravelled.
Earlier this month, Nigel got the ball rolling by sending her a cheeky email.
"I think it's time to open the lock that you received a few years ago," the email read.
Nigel was referring to a mysterious lock box that he gifted Ravelyn for her birthday back in 2018.
Five years later, she finds out that inside the lock box is a beginner's guide to Morse code. Rather underwhelming maybe, but there was more to come.
Nigel's next clue was inside his 2017 birthday gift to Ravelyn — a pack of origami otters.
He suggested that she open up the paper figures to reveal said clue.
In the TikTok clip, Ravelyn mentioned how she was initially hesitant to do so as he had painstakingly folded the gift and she'd have to "ruin them all".
She eventually opened up the figures and found a combination of dashes and dots. That Morse code guide sure looks useful now.
Ravelyn told AsiaOne: "I only thought the clues were in the lock [box]. I did not expect hidden clues in the [origami] otters. Especially because the present was given to me during the second year of our relationship."
One last surprise
Ravelyn only started realising the proposal was truly happening when she was figuring out the hidden message he prepared.
With the clues provided, she managed to form the sentence "wil_ you marr_ _e?".
As for the final three alphabets? It was hidden in two lavender potpourri pouches that have been sitting in her room since 2019.
Those were a gift from Nigel to "help with [her] anxiety". Little did she know that it would hold such significance in his wedding proposal too as he brought the two potpourri pouches along with him.
The wholesomeness of the proposal and the effort and dedication that were put into it have touched hearts, with many congratulatory messages in the comments section of the TikTok clip.
"He truly is one of a kind, and you both are lucky to be loved by each other," one TikTok user shared.
On the actual proposal day, Nigel roped in Ravelyn's close friends and had them be part of the special occasion.
It was an overwhelming experience for Ravelyn, and she admitted that it took her awhile to "settle down her heartbeat".
Regardless, the proposal was everything she imagined it to be.
"I don't need decorations. I don't need flowers. I don't need a fancy venue. I just need him," Ravelyn said.