Most unusual proposal ever.

Jake Bronstein began a whisper chain that successfully passed through 59 people, a new world record. With his girlfriend Kristina Hoge completely unaware of the plan, Bronstein sent the message “Kristina, will you marry me?” around a roomful of strangers. After the proposal passed through 59 people, a random stranger whispered the message in the ear of a completely shocked Hoge. She accepted onstage in front of a jubilant, tearful crowd. No wedding date has been set.

Update: Bronstein set the record on July 14, 2009 at a World Record Appreciation Society event in New York City. Dan Rollman and Corey Henderson were present to witness the feat.

Update 2: Original post of the proposal over at the Universal Record Database.

25 Comments leave a comment below

  1. beyond adorable!

  2. Social Networking at it’s best.

  3. i love how the women react so differently to the whisper

  4. Very cool and original way to propose. Two thumbs up!

  5. What a fantastic idea. And it’s wonderful that all of the other people involved will be telling this story for the rest of their lives.

  6. I can always count on your blog to deliver a big smile.

  7. Hi Swiss Miss!

    I was there and it was truly a wonderful proposal. Jake and Kristina are world record superstars.

    I would also like to point out that the copy and video is taken directly from URDB’s site. I think a link back or attribution is in order. Check out the original here:

    http://urdb.org/Content/RecordDetail.aspx?id=743

    Oh, the irony! http://twitter.com/swissmiss/status/2872394424

    I am sure it is an honest mistake.

    respectfully,
    marc @ urdb

  8. Marc

    I copied the text and links directly from Jake’s blog and am linking back to him.

    http://zoomdoggle.com/2009/07/break-this-record-longest-successful-whisper-chain/

    So I am giving full credit. I did not know the copy came originally from your site. I apologize.

    Tina

  9. so after all that are you still not going to link to URDB or give proper attribution?

    let me say this another way…your are picking up a post from the blogsphere and not giving the original source credit. That’s bad form.

  10. quick. where’s the kleenex?

  11. Marc, you’re ruining the moment for me.

  12. Wow – awesome idea & execution! So great & congrats to Jake & Kristina!

    As for marc: dude – quit being a attention whoring douche. Your logo is at the front of the video and it ends with your URL – it’s pretty obvious where the video came from.

  13. Wow, Marc… did you ask Jake to do the same thing? (Because if you did, you gave him the courtesy of a private request, since I don’t see it in his comments section…)

    The content Tina used here is identical to that which is on Jake’s site here: http://zoomdoggle.com/2009/07/break-this-record-longest-successful-whisper-chain/

    Hmm, how is it okay for you and Jake to have the same exact content, but it’s not ok for Tina to take it from Jake and give him credit? I mean, it is HIS proposal, right? HIS idea? Who exactly owns the copyright to the video, you, or Jake?

    The video itself has a link to URDB and advertises it… me thinks you need to learn to choose your battles a bit more wisely Marc, lest you come off smelling quite unlike the rose in this situation.

  14. I think the real issue is the gradually diminishing quality of content on Swissmiss: there seems to be less thought put into the posts, which very often nowadays consist of nothing more than a blatant and unfiltered product-plug, or a cute youtube video lifted directly from someone else’s blog.

    Of course, if a smile is all you want, or a recycled press release – fine.

    But for those of us who used to come here to find inspiration or unique content that was not a simple duplication of kottke, designnotes or the many other blogs out there that actually strive for originality, then the Swissmiss love-in is played-out.

    Sorry to “ruin the moment” for you.

  15. After 59 people whispering to each toher the great thing is that the bride got to hear something coherent. I mean, maybe she got to hear “I’ve got herpes” or something similar, that’s why she looks so stunned.

  16. Marc

    We obviously seem to have different views on what ‘proper attribution’ is when it comes to linking back. I respect that and am wondering if I need to rethink my own rules of ‘linking back”, which are:

    – If I see something on your blog, I will give you credit, stating either ‘via xyz..” or linking directly to your blog/post

    – If you send me a link tip, I will say “Thank you xyz…” at the bottom

    If bloggers would have to ALWAYS link back to the *original* source, there would be no blogs, as this is impossible to track down at all times. In this case, yes I could have linked to your site directly, true, BUT, I did find it on Jake’s site and he is the guy who actually proposed. And as Lara stated, your site is mentioned at the beginning and the end of the video.

    I am open to criticsm and always willing to reconsider my point of view. I just simply can not see what I did wrong here.

    To make you feel better, I will add a link directly to your post. I really would like to take this discussion further and hear what other bloggers have to say in regards to proper link attribution.

    Tina

  17. Micke

    I am sorry to hear you are dissapointed in the recent quality of my posts. I feel as I am putting as much love into my daily finds as I have from the beginning and I have always filtered/reblogged other much respected bloggers finds.

    I would love to hear what type of posts exactly you are missing. Feel like going through my archives and point me to some of them? I really would love to know.

    Please, next time, when posting a critical comment on a blog, be so kind and leave a real email address. I usually delete anonymous comments but, as I said in my reply to Marc, above, I am open to criticsm.

    Tina

  18. Hi again Tina

    I respect your openness in this matter, and I’m sorry to write anonymously (though I was honest enough to make this clear in my ‘faked’ mail address), but the design/advertising industry is small and incestuous enough for me to not want to publicly criticise one of the figures that I know a lot of my colleagues admire. Sorry for that craven cowardice.

    Anyway, thanks for also opening the discussion to suggestions – if you’re really serious about this, you could post a new thread where you ask if others have this feeling: I don’t want it to be about my personal preferences.

    But otherwise I’d say that as someone who daily looks through the ‘industry standard’ list of blogs, I’m getting used to the cannibalization of content that goes around and around.

    The best links: the ones where you have a personal motivation – like the toys and clothes you found for your child while she’s been growing-up. (these can sometimes slip-up – like posting links to $3000+ white leather kid’s chairs).
    You can also sometimes post the most fascinating links to art or cultural events in Switzerland or other European countries – and these are so much more compelling because you have found them or experienced them yourself.

    The worst links: other than the ones that are simply quickly borrowed (even with attribution), the ones that are a rehash of a product press release, or just a ‘cute’ youtube video. These feel most of all like you no longer have the time or interest to find something new and unique.

    Sorry for the wordy post – I’d like to think that I’ll keep Swiss-Miss high up on my list of blog bookmarks.
    Now I’m rather sad to have been so critical, and I hope you don’t feel my points were personal. Feel free to delete my posts – staying anonymous isn’t exactly a principled stand on my part…

  19. micke/marc
    wow way to ruin a beautiful moment.
    I come here daily to be inspired.. if you are not inspired.. there are a millions of other nodes on the web for you to find your particular “spark”.

    ….to publicly stomp through the clean white space of swissmiss with your ‘muddy boots’ is how did you say “bad form”

  20. micke/ marc

    you guys just need a hug!

  21. Epic win. Wow