May 28th, 2013
Thanks to the help of his entire family, Aaron Wike delivered a super-creative marriage proposal that won the top prize in TheKnot.com’s national competition. Wike and fiancée Casey Cummings learned on Friday that they will be collecting a $10,000 prize package, which includes $5,000 toward a designer bridal gown, $2,500 in luxury stationery and $2,500 in cash.
The Reno, Nev., couple titled their top-rated entry “A Trip Down Memory Lane.” The proposal took place at Lake Tahoe, where the couple often spends time hiking and enjoying nature.
On the afternoon of April 21, Wike and Cummings were set for another great hiking adventure, but Wike had a few surprises in store.
The couple had just started their hike when Cummings spotted an envelope hanging from a tree. She opened the envelope to find a photo of a bar from their hometown. The note read, “Where we first met."
Following the trail, they came upon a second envelope. This one had a photo of a restaurant and a note that read, “The place where you first realized your feelings for me.”
Explained Cummings, “We continued down 'memory lane' opening more and more memories of our dating life, including the place where we first said, 'I love you.'"
When they got to the bottom of the trail, Wike presented Cummings with a card that read, “They say that when you marry someone, you marry their WHOLE family, so Casey..."
This is when Wike’s entire family joined the proposal. As the couple followed the path and turned each corner, different family members held cards asking Cummings to be their daughter-in-law, sister-in-law and auntie.
They proceeded to a dock, where Cummings opened the final envelope. The picture was of the exact location where they were standing and the note read, “This is the place where I proposed.”
Wike got down on one knee and asked Cummings to marry him. She said, “Yes."
The family and random beach-goers joined the happy couple with congratulations and cheers.
The editors of TheKnot.com picked the couple’s entry to be a finalist from among nearly a thousand entries. Then the readers of TheKnot.com voted for the winner from the five finalists.
“A Trip Down Memory Lane” won the contest with more than 7,000 votes. It didn’t hurt that Wike’s proposal caught the attention of a Reno television station, which encouraged viewers to vote for the couple’s proposal at TheKnot.com’s website.
The couple will marry at Tahoe this summer.
The Reno, Nev., couple titled their top-rated entry “A Trip Down Memory Lane.” The proposal took place at Lake Tahoe, where the couple often spends time hiking and enjoying nature.
On the afternoon of April 21, Wike and Cummings were set for another great hiking adventure, but Wike had a few surprises in store.
The couple had just started their hike when Cummings spotted an envelope hanging from a tree. She opened the envelope to find a photo of a bar from their hometown. The note read, “Where we first met."
Following the trail, they came upon a second envelope. This one had a photo of a restaurant and a note that read, “The place where you first realized your feelings for me.”
Explained Cummings, “We continued down 'memory lane' opening more and more memories of our dating life, including the place where we first said, 'I love you.'"
When they got to the bottom of the trail, Wike presented Cummings with a card that read, “They say that when you marry someone, you marry their WHOLE family, so Casey..."
This is when Wike’s entire family joined the proposal. As the couple followed the path and turned each corner, different family members held cards asking Cummings to be their daughter-in-law, sister-in-law and auntie.
They proceeded to a dock, where Cummings opened the final envelope. The picture was of the exact location where they were standing and the note read, “This is the place where I proposed.”
Wike got down on one knee and asked Cummings to marry him. She said, “Yes."
The family and random beach-goers joined the happy couple with congratulations and cheers.
The editors of TheKnot.com picked the couple’s entry to be a finalist from among nearly a thousand entries. Then the readers of TheKnot.com voted for the winner from the five finalists.
“A Trip Down Memory Lane” won the contest with more than 7,000 votes. It didn’t hurt that Wike’s proposal caught the attention of a Reno television station, which encouraged viewers to vote for the couple’s proposal at TheKnot.com’s website.
The couple will marry at Tahoe this summer.
