| Waller County News Citizen 5/31/2007 |
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| By Billy Dragoo
HEMPSTEAD – The old adage says there are not many second chances in life, but a local man took advantage of his second chance to follow through on one of the biggest decisions in his life. It all began three weeks ago when Hempstead residents and Prairie View A&M University students Benjamin Goldston, 26, and Lyawonda Bass, 23, stepped inside Robbins Bros., world’s biggest engagement ring store in Houston, after hearing 9.79 The Box, a Houston radio station urging couples to plead their case “Real World” confessional-style as to why they deserved a second chance at having a perfect proposal and winning a Robbins Bros. engagement ring valued at $4,500. The moment the videographer turned the camera on, their story began to spill. Upon first listening to the confessional, it sounded like a woman’s worst proposal nightmare, as Goldston had originally proposed to Bass with the ring he purchased for his former fiancee! Goldston, who is working on his master’s degree in electrical engineering, and Bass, a mechanical engineering undergraduate, met on campus during Hurricane Rita in September 2005, he said. “After the storm, we called each other and began dating,” Goldston said. When he decided to propose marriage to Bass, he faced a dilemma. “I had previously been engaged to someone else and when that didn’t work out, she gave me the engagement ring back. I kept it and after I met Lyawonda, I couldn’t pay for a ring for her, so I used the old ring.” Goldston and Bass were married Saturday, May 26, at Mt. Corinth Baptist Church in Hempstead and had their reception at the community center. He said the wedding was already planned before the ring contest. “We won the ring right on time,” he said. “It’s crazy! It happened that the contest was one week before our wedding.” Goldston said a co-worker told him about the contest and he felt he had a good chance to win. After having their confession deemed as one of the best, according to The Box’s online voters, Goldston and Bass competed with four other couples in the Perfect Proposal trivia game “How well do you know him or her?” Similar to The Newlywed Game, contestants were asked questions, including “What’s the most sentimental gift your mate has ever given you?” to test how well the couple’s knew each other. In the end, Goldston and Bass had the largest number of compatible responses and were crowned as the winners of the 1-carat, princess-cut diamond engagement ring. After receiving the ring, Goldston dropped to one knee to redo the proposal that was not so perfect first time around, making the contest truly come full-circle. After a short trip to San Antonio, the couple will continue to live in Hempstead and will graduate together in May 2008. |
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Archive for May, 2007
Marriage begins on winning note
Robbins Bros. and Aquarium of the Pacific Fulfill a Marriage Proposal Wish with new “Catch a Wave” Exhibition
Huntington Beach Contest Winner Proposes with Diver Assistance
WHO & WHAT
On May 30, 2007, Robbins Bros., World’s Biggest Engagement Ring Store® partnered with Aquarium of the Pacific to make a couple’s engagement dream come true. In celebration of the Robbins Bros. exclusive concierge service, Perfect Proposals™, one lucky gentleman, Kevin Coke of Huntington Beach, proposed to his girlfriend Dawn Salter at the aquarium’s new Catch a Wave exhibition.
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At the end of the Tropical Reef Habitat, presentation, Kevin & Dawn were asked to take pictures. With their backs facing the exhibit, a diver swam down with a laminated “Will You Marry Me?” sign in big bold red letters. When the couple turned to face the divers, Dawn saw the sign and Kevin dropped to bended knee to ask for her hand in marriage. Dawn immediately began crying and hugged Kevin, while her parents who tagged along were equally surprised and filled with joy. There was not a dry eye in sight.
THE COUPLE’S STORY
(contest entry submitted by the groom)
We met two years ago through eHarmony.com. I love her sarcasm and intelligence. We have great conversations and we both love to play board games, Scrabble and Boggle are two favorites. I admire her general ability to roll with the punches; she usually does not let things trip her up. My nutrition level and general diet has improved dramatically because of her, and I love someone I can share my day with who will always show me respect, care and concern. I can’t wait to propose to her!
Lucky Couple to Win Engagement Ring at JCK Show
JCK Online, 5/25/07
The JCK Show ~ Las Vegas will take the unusual step of allowing non-industry consumers and TV media onto the main exhibition floor. The consumers are a Southern California couple who won a contest sponsored by Robbins Bros. jewelers. They will visit the show to select a 2-ct. diamond engagement ring designed by Jeff Cooper. Once the ring is selected, the boyfriend will drop to one knee to propose marriage in front of show attendees.
The winning couple was selected at random from among couples attending a series of diamond workshops held at various Robbins Bros. store locations in Southern California. The grand prize includes airfare and three-night hotel accommodations for two at the Venetian Hotel
The couple (whose names were not disclosed) met at a bowling alley in Anaheim. He’s a 34-year-old electrician and she’s a 29-year old secretary. The engagement event will take place at 1 p.m. June 1 at the Jeff Cooper booth (304).
Biker’s 150-Mile Trek Ends With a Surprise Proposal
| Houston Spring Observer 5/4/2007 |
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| By SARAH PARKER Copyright 2007 Houston Spring Observer
Commitment has been a big issue for Alex Peña – especially recently. It’s not a lack thereof; in fact, it’s the exact opposite. On April 22, he completed the MS 150, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s annual charity bike ride from Houston to Austin that raises money for multiple sclerosis research. That will be a date he remembers forever, because that’s also the date he asked his girlfriend, Kristi Mays, to marry him. He did it all for Mays, who was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.”Last July, she was diagnosed with MS and had some concerns about my leaving her. I tried to reassure her that that wasn’t the case, and that I would be there for her. I realized that it was the perfect opportunity to ask her to marry me, so I started brainstorming to see what I was going to do,” Peña said. The diagnosis has been tough on Peña, Mays and her 16 year-old daughter, Shelby Lamberson, but they’ve tried to adjust their lives and move on, together. “We were devastated with the diagnosis. She was worried about what to do, how to handle it,” he said. “She’s very fatigued and tired sometimes – [we take it] day by day. If she feels like it, we’ll do something. If not, we’ll stay in and rent a movie.” Peña subscribes to the MS Society’s newsletter, and there was a section in it entitled “Tell us your story.” “I did it [submitted their history as a couple], and the MS Society called about it,” Peña explained. At that point, the National MS Society stepped in. They contacted Robbins Bros., World’s Biggest Engagement Ring Store, and as part of the jewelry store’s Engagement Dreams promotion, helped facilitate the couple’s impending engagement. “Robbins Bros. donated a $2,000 ring. Without them I couldn’t have done it this way; it was perfect.” In addition, the store donated $1,000 to the National MS Society in Mays’ name and provided “dinner for three (at an upscale sushi steakhouse in Austin), flowers, champagne, everything – more than I could have done myself,” Peña said. Although it had been awhile since he had last participated – “about 20 years,” according to Peña – he had biked the MS 150 before. When he learned of Mays’ diagnosis, he decided to participate again – for her. Along with participating in a worthy cause, the race allowed him one more benefit: it gave him the perfect place and opportunity to propose to Mays. He decided to surprise her and pop the question at the finish line. “I found out about the Champ’s Area, where people with MS could sit and watch riders come in. When I found out that MS and Robbins Bros. was going to do this, I told her to sit there so that everything would flow smoothly – so I could make the arrangements for flowers and cameras to be there and we wouldn’t have to chase each other around,” he explained. “I asked her to go up there and meet me at the finish line so we could go home together,” Peña said. “When I finished, I came around and met people from Robbins Bros. and the MS Society,” he said. “They had a camera walking in front and behind me. When I came up to the tent, I met up with Kristi. I hugged her and told her I loved her,” he said. Peña had hidden the ring in his bike pouch. “I greeted her and told her I had something for her. I told her I loved her very much, dropped to one knee and asked her – and she said yes,” he said. The couple hasn’t yet set a date. “We haven’t talked about it; we’re still just enjoying the moment. We’ll [set the date] eventually,” said Peña. With Robbins Bros. and the National MS Society’s support, though, Peña said that his proposal “allowed Kristi to know that I’m here for the ride – no pun intended.” |
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Robbins Bros. Taps Fluid Media Networks to Produce Perfect Proposal™ Album
In Industry First, Multi-Format Access CD Allows Creation of Ringtones and Unlimited Sharing
Robbins Bros., World’s Biggest Engagement Ring Store, has partnered with Fluid Media Networks, producers of American Idol Underground (www.idolunderground.com), to produce an album entitled “Perfect Proposals™: 10 Perfect Love Songs.” In a music industry first, Fluid Media Networks has compiled an exclusive Multiple Format Access™ (MFA) CD compilation of love songs giving listeners full access to the music in a variety of formats, from MP3 files to ringtones.
“Our Perfect Proposals™ engagement planning service was designed to create unique and memorable marriage proposals for couples entering a new and very special phase in their relationship” said Steve Robbins, chairman and CEO of Robbins Bros. “The ‘10 Perfect Love Songs’ selected by Fluid Media Networks featuring new artists will be a great way for couples to remember the special occasion forever.”
Robbins Bros. has invited nearly 200,000 people to visit one of their retail outlets and receive a free copy of the Perfect Proposals album while supplies last. In addition to receiving the album as a physical CD, recipients will also be able to download a digital (non-DRM) version of the album for use in an MP3 player or on a PC.
“Robbins Bros. is working with customers to create perfect proposals and we are excited to offer this unique CD as another way to make this special moment even more memorable,” said Justin Beckett, Fluid Media Networks founder and CEO. “In particular we are most excited by the opportunity this type of partnership represents for the 10 new artists who have the potential to get their music in front of a pre-qualified audience of nearly 200,000 consumers.”
The new artists who are featured in the release include; Bettina, Hannah, Justin Young, Kawehi, Livin Out Loud, Loely, Sebastian, Stephen Miller, Terrell, and Vinyl 45.
Robbins Bros. will be distributing the “10 Perfect Love Songs” CD within each of their retail locations while supplies last.
About Fluid Media Networks
Fluid Media Networks (formerly Fluid Audio Networks) is a diversified music services company whose products and solutions facilitate the commercial exploitation of music related media.
The company has developed a number of innovative technology applications that are changing the way that music is discovered and distributed. Fluid Media Networks state of the art user generated media platform has enabled the company to partner with some of the biggest entertainment brands including American Idol and Sony.
The company is managed by a team of proven Internet entrepreneurs who are committed to using technology to optimize the production, distribution and consumption of music. For more information please visit www.fluidmedianetworks.com.
