The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Emily says yes to big screen romance
Gareth pops the question at the drive in cinema
A couple played the starring role in their own Hollywood romance when they got engaged thanks to the big screen Gareth Stracey popped the question to girlfriend of 10 years Emily Stenceley when they visited the Moonlight Drive In Cinema in Hampton.
Gareth arranged for the words ‘Will You Marry Me’ to appear on the big screen before the showing of Emily’s favourite film, Love Actually - andthankfullyforGareth, she said ‘yes’.
However, rather than just the words, Gareth organised for a montage of pictures of thecouple- whoarebothaged 26 - together to be shown on the screen, and Emily said she had been ‘embarrassed’ by the gesture.
She said: “It was very unexpected - I have been waiting about 10 years for it- but it was lovely.
“Hebookedfor us to go - he is quite a laid back person so I did not expect it.
“About a week before he made sure I had nothing on that night, so we could go. “We got in, and there were quite a few cars already there. Before they played the movie, some people came up to us and said we could move to the front and centre because our car was quite low.
“I didn’t think anything of it. Then at the start, ‘Emily’ came up on the big screen. I thought it was an advert at first - and then a lot of awful pictures of us came up - and theyweregettingbigger. It was very embarrassing. I looked at him and he was smiling, and he asked the question. I said ‘yeah, of course.’ It didn’t really sink in.
“I think I missed the first part of the film because I was getting messages from everyone about it. Some of my friends were also at the screening so they saw it and were texting me.”
The couple, from March arenowstartingtomakeplans for their wedding - although they have not set a date as yet.
Garethsaid:“Wehavebeen togethersincewewenttoWisbechCollege together 10 years ago.
“After we decided to go to the cinema, I got in touch to see what we could do. They did the work with the photographsforus. Theywerereally good at helping set it all up.
“ShehadnoideawhatIwas planning - I think shewasvery surprised I did somethinglike this.
“Whenthewordsappeared on the screen, I said ‘will you marry me?’
“It saved me having to get down on one knee.”
Ben Stonehouse, Founder of Moonlight Drive-in Cinema, said: “Moonlight Drive-in Cinemawasdelightedtoplaya part in Gareth and Emily’s engagement story. Congratulations to the happy couple; we wish you a long and happy future together.”
The Moonlight Drive In Cinema will return to Peterborough in February.
More details will be announced tomorrow at www. moonlightcinema.com/peterborough/