Proposal struck right note at the perfect moment

FOR one newly engaged couple Ed Sheeran’s concert in Dunedin on Sunday could not have been more perfect.

Blenheim couple Nel Ian Mercado and Danieza Danganan are relaxing in Queenstown after the former successfully proposed to his partner at the concert.

Ms Danganan said she was ‘‘on cloud nine’’ after the shock proposal during the song Perfect.

‘‘I’m very surprised because I did not expect it. I didn’t have any idea at all.’’

The song was her alltime favourite, she said.

‘‘Every time I hear it I tend to get tearyeyed, but when he proposed I didn’t even cry because I was so shocked.

‘‘I had such confused emotions because I was very hyped up with the concert and I didn’t know how to feel.’’

She very quickly said yes, she said.

Ms Danganan was filming the show at the time and so the whole saga was captured on video.

Mr Mercado said he began planning the proposal when the concerts were first announced.

The two lined up early on Sunday so they could be right at the front of the stage to see the singer up close.

‘‘Unfortunately, I was not able to get down on my knees because it was pretty tight up there. She was videoing and was surprised when she saw the ring. Then I asked her.’’

The 25yearolds have known each other since they met at church as children in their home country, the Philippines.

Their relationship had begun in 2010 while they were both at university.

The couple will head back to Blenheim tomorrow where he is a factory worker and she works in hospitality.

Love was in the air at the Sheeran concerts as a Dunedin couple in the crowd got engaged on Saturday.

THE mats were rolled up and grass intact as the Ed Sheeran magic faded yesterday and the cleanup began.

Dunedin Venues Management Ltd marketing and communication manager Kim Barnes said it was hard to tell exactly how many workers were helping with the effort.

Among them were King’s High School pupils, who were fundraising for their First XV.

How much food and drink was sold at the concerts would not be known until today at the earliest, she said.

PHOTO: TRACEY ROXBURGH Dive right in . . . Nel Ian Mercado and Danieza Danganan, both of Blenheim, explore Queenstown yesterday after getting engaged at an Ed Sheeran concert in Dunedin.

PHOTOS: GREGOR RICHARDSON Packed away . . . The mats are rolled back up at Forsyth Barr Stadium as Sheeranmania comes to an end. King’s High School pupil Bradley McPate (15) helps with the removal effort.

Lynne Dick, from Waste Management, gets stuck into the big cleanup yesterday.