29-Sep-15 – Open now for four months, the new Chicago Riverwalk is at least two-for-two in successful marriage proposals.

On the steps of River Theater, Leah Nobers and Brian Nimmo were engaged on September 4, Brian dropping to one knee, the event photographed by at least two people and quickly shared on Facebook.

Leah says she thought they were just going to dinner to celebrate her birthday but as Brian picked her up, he “said he had a few surprises and we were headed to the first one.”

At about 5:20 p.m., west of the Clark Street Bridge, Brian, recalls Leah, “read me a card that he had written about all the reasons he loves me and how happy he is that we met and then handed it to me and said, ‘you read the back.’ When I flipped it over, it said ‘please say yes,’ and when I looked up he was asking me to marry him.”

(Right) Leah and Brian on the Chicago Riverwalk west of the Clark Street Bridge. Photo by Katelyn Nimmo. (Click on image to view larger version.)

Stewart Campbell, a senior director of marketing who was visiting the Riverwalk with his wife and two sons, says he knew it was a proposal, based on Leah’s reaction.

“I saw this couple walking down hand in hand and when I glanced back he was reading a card to her,” he says. “As he finished the card he stood, got the ring out and dropped to a knee and proposed. She said yes, they kissed and hugged, and we needed to go, so rather than interrupt them I decided I’d just see if social media could track them down.”

After the proposal, members of both families met Leah and Brian as they arrived at the restaurant and as special as they are, they were not the first to get engaged on the Riverwalk.

Hilary Ribons, social media manager for Paparazzi Proposals, says they photographed a marriage proposal on August 27, as a client named Dan proposed to Carole on the Riverwalk west of the Dearborn Street Bridge.

(Left) Carole and Dan on a part of the Riverwalk that passes under the Dearborn Street Bridge. Photo by Paparazzi Proposals. (Click on image to view larger version.)

“I thought it was a great place for us to get engaged just because of the beautiful scenic views,” says Dan. He popped the question between wine at City Winery and dinner at Chicago Cut Steakhouse.

“I was worried going into it that people would be standing right in the spot that I had picked out for the engagement since there is so much foot traffic, but it was all clear. It was great afterwards how all of the boaters and kayakers who witnessed the engagement were yelling out ‘congratulations’ to us.”

And as special as Carole and Dan are, they may not have been the first, either. As their families waited for them at River Roast, west of LaSalle Street, Dan’s brother thought he spotted them.

“My brother…watched as this couple got engaged on the Riverwalk. Both of our families cheered from inside of the restaurant. Unfortunately, it was a different couple that was getting engaged at about the same time and at a spot just two blocks away from where we were getting engaged.”

That may have been Katherine and Ryan (right), who got engaged near the LaSalle Street Bridge. Photo by Paparazzi Proposals. (Click on image to view larger version.)