Public Gardens proposal couple shares their romance

A Halifax man whose romantic proposal to his girlfriend caught the public imagination says she told him he had tocome up with a good pitch.

People walking by the Public Gardens on Monday and Tuesday sawgiant letters spelling out "Will U marry me?" Each letter had a rose and a poem.

I was a little suspicious when he picked me up from work in a suit.- Bride-to-be Samantha Rideout

CBC asked you who the couple was, and we quickly found Rob Jefferyand Samantha Rideout soon to be SamanthaJeffery.

Samantha said you have to put effort into it, or Im saying no, Jefferysaid of their previous discussions of marriage.

The pair met for their firstdate outside the Public Gardens,right where the posters started. Its become a favourite spot.

So Jeffery made up the signs, wrote the poems, and attached them to the garden gates. He picked Rideout up at work Monday and brought her to the gates.

I was dressed up and she shes always dressed up and looking beautiful, he said.

He walked her along the signs and at the last one he dropped to one knee and asked her to marry him.

He had a really sweet speech. I cried. Im excited, Rideout said. I pretty much knew at the W. I was a little suspicious when he picked me up from work in a suit.

She said the fact that people were honking encouragement as he popped the question added to the mood. But when he was down on one knee, it didnt feel like we were in public at all. It felt like it was just us.

The Public Gardens said theyd leave the signs up today out of respect for the young couple. They're getting married Oct. 18 in Rideout's hometown of St. John's, N.L.