In a heartwarming gesture inspired by the 1998 rom-com The Wedding Singer, Sam Riber, 34, proposed to his girlfriend, Lissy Alden, 37, mid-flight while they were traveling to Mexico. The couple, who were celebrating Alden's birthday, experienced a moment that will surely be remembered forever.

Riber, a CEO from Philadelphia, orchestrated the surprise with the help of flight attendants. He serenaded Alden with "Grow Old With You," the same song Adam Sandler’s character Robbie sings to Drew Barrymore’s character Julia in the movie. To make it even more special, he smuggled a prop guitar onto the plane to recreate the iconic scene.

After his performance, Riber got down on one knee and asked Alden to marry him. Her answer? A resounding "Yes!"

"It was such a special moment,” Riber said. “I almost couldn't believe it all worked out."

The couple, both cinephiles, had met at a Shabbat dinner in February 2024. Riber had always known he wanted to use The Wedding Singer scene for his proposal, but there was just one issue: Alden had never seen the movie. To avoid spoiling the surprise, Riber cleverly suggested a movie night, and luckily, Alden loved the film as much as he did. Since then, the couple has shared versions of the song with each other.

The proposal video shows a flight attendant hyping Riber up as he prepares to take the microphone. Nearby, staff had set up celebratory drinks with a special note. Riber can be seen announcing, "I just wanted to give a quick shout out to my beautiful, darling, sweet and, oh, so gullible girlfriend, who believed me when I said I didn’t have anything planned for her birthday."

After singing, Riber handed his red and tan ukulele to another passenger, retrieved a ring from his pocket, and kneeled on the floor. Alden, clearly surprised, covered her face as Riber popped the question. The plane erupted in applause when Alden said "yes," and the couple shared a kiss.

Alden later explained that while she didn’t expect the proposal at that moment, she had a feeling something was up. She initially thought Riber’s gesture was part of the birthday celebrations, especially since he had already bumped them up to first class.

The video of the moment quickly went viral, with Riber’s alma mater, Hammond School, sharing the footage on Instagram with the caption: "A Skyhawk Takes Flight… and Pops the Question at 35,000 Feet!" The school also congratulated the couple, wishing them a lifetime of love and perhaps more in-flight karaoke.

The couple has not yet revealed wedding plans, but Alden shared her excitement with The New York Post, saying, "When he got down on one knee, I realized what was happening and just felt so happy."

Source: People Magazine