Staging a marriage proposal today is a big deal! I’m not sure why it’s not a more one-on-one intimate moment like it used to be, but I’ve discovered the event status can be endearing.

We had the privilege to be a part of such an event recently when our eldest daughter, Lillian, was proposed to by her longtime boyfriend Kegan Knust. Lillian is a person who always wants to know everything about everything, so Kegan had to really work to plan his proposal in a veil of secrecy.

He asked Lillian’s best friend, Eliza, and me to help with the ring design and creation. Eliza borrowed her husband’s GoPro camera to film the special moments and secured another friend to photograph the event.

Kegan was specific about wanting to propose to Lillian while she was working a field. Initially, the plan was to catch her in one of our New Holland tractors on our ground. Due to the untimely rains, he adjusted the schedule to having her work his ground with his Case IH equipment. He even had Eliza take Lillian on a girl’s day out to have Lillian’s nails done in red and black.

While Lillian worked his field several miles from Kegan’s home farm, we were part of a caravan that assembled at the farm, which included Eliza and the photography crew; Kegan’s grandparents, Jack and Winnie Knust; Kegan’s dad, Larry Knust; and their farm helper, Carl.

Upon arriving at the field, Kegan called Lillian to stop so we could all go to dinner. With cameras clicking, she hopped out. Kegan got down on one knee, presented the ring and she said, “YES!” Joining the couple was his 11-year-old daughter, Kaelynn, who was overjoyed.

Staged, yes. Joyful and momentous, yes. Hallelujah!

Hayhurst writes from Terre Haute, Ind.