NEW YORK, Nov. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- How He Asked by The Knot, the leading wedding proposal inspiration brand, hosted the proposal of the year last night for Los Angeles couple Joey Balderrama and Mariah Robinson. The proposal began at 12 p.m. PT yesterday when How He Asked posted a mysterious love letter on its home page. The letter, complete with illustrations by The Artist Scientist, detailed Joey's love for Mariah in an anonymous recount of their relationship, beginning at their college orientation, touching on his staged proposal at the summer camp they volunteered for, and ending with a vow to be an amazing husband and father to their future children for the rest of their lives. Once the love letter was posted and shared on How He Asked and The Knot Instagram accounts, followers began tagging friends and sharing the letter to help find the mystery girl. Mariah, an avid fan of How He Asked, saw the proposal and anxiously waited to see Joey that night to hear the words straight from his mouth.

"The moment I read the opening line, I just start sobbing. Then I saw the illustration of Joey's fake proposal to me, and I started crying all over again," said Mariah. "I quickly realized this was it - it was happening today and it was pure bliss."

To bring the proposal to life, How He Asked brought on expert marriage proposal planners The Yes Girls. Inspired by the outdoors and the story of Joey's pretend proposal at the summer camp where they volunteered as friends, The Yes Girls chose the location of Saddlerock Ranch for its incredible views and natural setting. Florist Crystal Schachter from Studio C Florals used candlelight, tree stumps and branches, overflowing greenery and pops of warm florals to accentuate the organic forest vibe. Regina Carroll of The Beautiful Mood created a custom "Idyllwild Pines" camp sign for Mariah's entrance and a life-size watercolor backdrop with a forest-like scene to represent pieces from the camp where they fell in love. As Mariah walked toward Joey, musician Zach Churchill played an original song he wrote for their love story. Joey expressed his love and devotion to Mariah, got down on one knee, and pulled the ring from his Box Sock, which cleverly hid the engagement ring until the moment he needed it. Immediately following, Mariah's Texas-based family emerged from hiding to add to the surprise. The incredible proposal was captured by photographer Brian Leahy and videographer Elysium Productions.

"I couldn't have imagined a more perfect proposal than this," said Joey. "I will be forever grateful to How He Asked, The Yes Girls and all the incredible professionals that helped me show Mariah just how much I love her. They helped bring my vision to life in a way neither of us will ever forget! I can't wait to marry my bride!"

Visit HowHeAsked.com/love-letter-proposal/ to read Joey and Mariah's full proposal story and view photos and video from the special moment.

About How He Asked by The Knot

How He Asked is the leading wedding proposal inspiration brand. Serving up thousands of inspiring proposal stories on HowHeAsked.com and its popular Instagram account, How He Asked is the go-to guide for getting engaged. The trusted brand offers proposal ideas, an engagement ring finder filled with inspiration, and a vendor guide to help soon-to-be-proposers find photographers, videographers, planners and more. How He Asked is owned by XO Group Inc. (NYSE: XOXO), which helps people navigate and enjoy life's biggest moments--from getting married with The Knot, to moving in together with The Nest, to having a baby with The Bump, as well as helping bring important celebrations to life with entertainment vendors from GigMasters. Visit How He Asked online at HowHeAsked.com and follow on Instagram.

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SOURCE How He Asked