Sheeran concerts ‘perfect’ to get engaged
By now we all know, Ed Sheeran has a special place in the hearts of New Zealanders.
But in the words of newlyengaged Emily Badcock, his hit song Perfect was exactly that when he performed at Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium.
Not only did the 23-year-old get to see one of her favourite musicians sing on March 26, but she also got engaged, when partner Darren Mongan popped the question as Sheeran played the romantic tune.
‘‘[Darren] had been hiding the ring in his pocket for five hours – so it was a good effort,’’ Badcock said.
‘‘Perfect started and he was fluffing about in his jersey. I was so close to telling him to move out of the way – he was in the way of Ed Sheeran. Then he gave me the box and told me to open it slowly and just say yes.
‘‘I opened it and asked if he was serious. He got down on one knee and that’s where everything became a blur.’’
The Nelson couple, who have been together for three years, travelled to Auckland for the show. But Badcock admits she ‘‘kind of forced’’ her partner to go with her.
She says in the madness that followed the proposal, it felt like they were the only two people in the packed stadium.
‘‘We had people all around us taking pictures and video and when we were leaving, people were still congratulating us. We were just shut off from everyone else – we didn’t realise they had been watching us over Ed Sheeran.’’
Badcock had no idea the proposal was coming and even now, her fiance is being coy about how long he had been planning the public proposal. She says he didn’t tell anyone about his plan, including his family.
The only thing she knows is the plan was always to pop the question when Sheeran performed Perfect.
‘‘It’s lucky he played that song, otherwise I was getting a ring at Burger King, apparently,’’ Badcock says of her rose gold and diamond engagement ring.
The only downside? Having to pay extra attention when she clapped and cheered for Sheeran at the end of his show.
‘‘The ring is slightly too big, so I had my hand in a fist for the rest of the concert. I didn’t want to lose it.
‘‘It was hard to concentrate for the rest of the show. I kept looking back at Darren and at the ring. The emotions were ... I was on a buzz.’’
The newly-engaged pair are taking their time on wedding plans, saying they will wait a couple of years, so they can ‘‘hunker down and save’’.
Meanwhile, another couple also got engaged at Sheeran’s Dunedin show on Sunday. Christchurch man Jason Higgins asked Tina Cummings marry him during the last song of the concert.
The identity of another couple who reportedly got engaged at Sheeran’s Dunedin show on Saturday night still remains a mystery.
Last year a Kiwi couple got engaged during a show in Austria.