The Smooth Serenade
Manson Chan, a 25-year-old marketer Icey Liu, a 26-year-old makeup artist Where: Cabbagetown Wedding date: August 4, 2018 Photography: LaMemoir Photography When Manson came to Canada six years ago to study business at Trent, he didn’t know many people. The school’s Chinese Student Association hosted a festival, where he met Icey, and the two went for a friendly breakfast. Manson knew early on that she was the one, but he waited until they both graduated to pop the question.
He spent a month organizing a proposal inspired by Maroon 5’s “Sugar” video, in which Adam Levine drives across L.A. in a vintage Lincoln to surprise couples at their weddings. The band sets up behind a white curtain and starts playing when it drops. As a fellow pop musician, Manson figured it would be a fun concept to replicate.
He planned the event for New Year’s Eve, when his family would be visiting. Icey thought they were all celebrating together at Wish restaurant. When she arrived, servers escorted her to a full-length mirror to see the special menu. Instead, it had a love letter from Manson copied out in calligraphy. Behind her, a curtain fell to the floor, revealing Manson and his band. He poured his heart out in a song he’d written just for her, which ended with, “Oh baby, Icey, would you like to marry me?”