The annual Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival took a rather romantic turn this year, when one of the visitors decided to propose to his partner of 23 years.
Racing driver Audel Sison took the opportunity presented by the ballooning event to pull off a one-of-a-kind marriage proposal.
Although it is more traditional to propose whilst taking your partner on a romantic hot air balloon ride, Mr Sison took a different approach. Surrounded by five of his drift-car racing friends, who did several doughnut manoeuvres around him and his partner May, he got down on one knee and popped the question.
According to reports, May was completely unaware when she set off to the festival that her partner of more than two decades was about to propose.
Speaking to ABS-CBN News, even Mr Sison did not know why he had chosen that day, which happened to be on Valentine’s. The racing-car driver reportedly seemed caught up in the atmosphere of the hot air balloon event, which takes place annually in Pampanga, when he asked May to marry him, noting that it was a completely spontaneous act. He added that he had even bought the ring that day.
When asked for his tips on making a relationship last, Mr Sison said:
“Don’t give up on your love. Don’t give up on the relationship.”
Anyone looking to follow in Mr Sison’s footsteps and propose with a backdrop of hot air balloons, or even from within one of the craft’s baskets, will have no trouble finding balloon rides in Gloucester, Bristol and beyond.
