Kerry wanted a simple proposal;

Yanev wanted a 10,000 person flash mob.

The Compromise:

Yanev and Kerry had already booked a trip with Kerry’s mom, Vickie, to the south of France to see Kerry’s favorite opera singer, Lisette Oropesa, perform in Aix-en-Provence. They also visited the lavender fields while there. Given Kerry’s fear of bees, and the hundreds of them surrounding him, this particular photo was a big win:

Then off to Paris. Yanev told Kerry he was flying to Finland on Friday to see one of his entrepreneurs, allowing Kerry and his mom to enjoy a private day in Paris together. And allowing Yanev to fake leave Paris, switch hotels, and set up for the next morning’s proposal.

Kerry was told that Yanev’s investor gifted them a luxury art tour in Paris on the Saturday morning, but since Yanev couldn’t go, Kerry and his mom would have to attend. At dinner on Friday night, Vickie (who knew the real plan) did a great job of trying to convince Kerry not to go on the 7am tour. “Why should we wake up at the butt crack of dawn while Yanev is off in Finland?” But Kerry felt obligated. (Vickie also grilled Kerry as to whether Yanev was really "the one". Though slightly off script, we do appreciate her Mama Bear instincts.)

The next morning, Vickie and Kerry made their way to the 8th Arrondisement for the luxury tour, where they were joined by a few other guests and an official tour guide. The guide was real, but the guests were the production assistant, the photographer, and a friend of a friend. The guide explained that they would be taking a tour of real life recreations of French artworks in the locations where they were originally created.

First, they visited Rodin’s Thinker:

Then, they visited Degas’s Absinthe Drinker:

Then, they visited Monet’s train stations:

And finally, they came up to Kerry’s favorite painting- Paris Street, Rainy Day, by Gustav Caillebotte:

Upon immediately recognizing his favorite artwork, Kerry was ushered into the middle of the painting for a photo. And then, while he was taking a photo “in” his favorite painting, Yanev turned around and proposed:

Neither remembers what was said, but they do remember Humper’s contribution:

And Kerry said yes. For now at least. ;-)