Ed & Lu | A Storm-Chasing Surprise Proposal at Lido Beach

Racing the Weather

Ed had been planning this for weeks, and Lu had no idea any of it was coming. They were visiting from Chicago, Ed’s dad lived in the Sarasota area and helped coordinate the proposal. Throughout the day we stayed in touch with Ed and the cellist, watching the radar the entire drive down to Lido Beach. Thunder and lightning followed us the whole way there, but Ed wasn’t canceling, and neither were we. By the time we arrived, the sky over the gulf had turned a smoky orange, storm clouds still hanging low while a small crowd of beachgoers gathered to watch what was clearly about to happen.

A Cellist on the Sand

He walked Lu down to the sand and casually pointed out a cellist playing nearby. “Oh look, let’s go take a listen,” he told her, no big deal. Their families were hiding in the bushes behind them the entire time, phones out, filming every second while Lu remained completely unaware. A table sat waiting with champagne on ice and a bouquet of white roses, everything staged and ready.

The Moment

Then Ed got down on one knee. Her hands flew to her face, tears started, and their families came rushing out of the bushes as the cellist kept playing straight through all of it. Everyone was praising the timing that held that storm back just long enough, and honestly, we weren’t arguing with that either.

After the Yes

Once the ring was on and the hugs were finished, Ed popped the champagne he’d hidden away, and the group stayed on the beach well past sunset, catching each other up, taking selfies to send to everyone not there, and watching the sky shift from stormy orange to soft pink and gold. Lu couldn’t stop looking at her hand, and honestly, neither could we.

Congratulations Ed and Lu. Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness from all of us here in Florida.