Sedalia Man’s New Year’s Eve Proposal On Bob FM

The end of one year and the beginning of another always make people take stock in their lives and think about their futures. That's partially what inspired a local Sedalian, Mark Willadsen, to decide to take the big plunge into marriage. But he did it in an unusual way: right here on Bob FM!

Mark and Jessica have been together for years and have a lovely baby boy. He started planning his radio proposal weeks beforehand - he knew he had to do something unique. He runs a business, Empire Customs, so he's in regular contact with us here to do some advertising. He reached out to his Advertising Executive, Jennifer Langdon, and she thought it was a great idea.

I was minding my own business when Mark from Empire Customs called with what he said was a ‘crazy request’. He told me he wanted to propose to his girlfriend via a radio ad New Year’s eve night. I told him I would check with our on air & traffic staff. I called him back to say we could do and then he snuck in and we crafted the ad and recorded it Friday. Jessica was under the impression he had a new ad for the business airing. Lololol.  I was pretty much nervous all Sunday night that she would say no and texted him Monday to see what she said.

Totally normal, right? He was able to use that as a bit of a ruse not to ruin the surprise.  He chose a special time to come in and record a commercial "for his business"... but it was really about his PERSONAL business.

Then, it was up to us. I worked up a special "newsy" type of backing and mixed the ad together to make it super official. Our Traffic Director, Teresa Hardy, made sure the ad would air at ten minutes to midnight on New Year's Eve. I told Mark what song would be playing right before the commercial, so he'd be sure. They went over to a friend's house for some New Year's fun, and Jessica had no idea. And luckily for all of the co-conspirators (at least four of us), she said yes!*

So there you have it, a nice story about two crazy kids in love. What a positive way to start the new year. I wonder if they'll broadcast the wedding, too....

Radioly yours,
Behka

* Can you imagine the kind of crushing defeat it would have been if she'd said no?!  Here this dude was scheming to surprise her for ages, enlisted a whole radio station to do it, put his heart out on the air for thousands of people to hear.... and then rejection? AWKWARD.  Lucky for us, huh.