You already know podcasting to be an intimate experience. It's a time usually shared with loved ones or perhaps between just you and your ear buds... but some couples are taking it to the next level.
Move over jumbotron, podcasts are the new best thing in marriage proposals.
If you're an avid podcast listener, maybe you've already heard a few people "pop the question" during one of your favorite shows.
Meet two couples who love each other so much, that NPR helped them put a ring on it.
Kyle & Olivia
Kyle Pozza and Olivia Singelmann are both self-described "NPR nerds." Their favorite podcast is, "It's Been A Minute with Sam Sanders," which they listen to while cooking dinner.
Kyle hails from San Antonio, TX and Olivia from Baton Rouge, Louisiana but they met in Washington DC. Kyle and Olivia's meeting is reminiscent of an NPR story they both heard last year about the difficulty of online/app dating in an era self-selection and divisive partisan politics.
Needless to say the two of them do not always see eye-to-eye on politics. As Kyle remembers, Olivia's profile said, among other things, "if you aren't voting for Hillary, swipe left." So while Kyle is a registered Republican – he technically passed this barrier to entry and decided to swipe right. They went for coffee and several more dates before he broke the news about his political persuasions. Their first argument consisted of going through the Bill of Rights and discussing each other's opinion/position on the spectrum. In the end, as Kyle says, "we agreed more than we disagreed; agreed to disagree on that which we could not agree; and agreed that we did not want to agree or disagree with anyone else."
In February Kyle reached out to the "It's Been a Minute" team to slip his marriage proposal into podcast. As he does every week, Sam Sanders ends his show by asking listeners to share the best thing that happened to them all week – that's where Kyle came in.
Listen to Kyle's proposal here:
It went perfectly! Here is Kyle's best rendition of how it all played out:
Kyle on the podcast: "The Best Thing that Happened to me this week is Olivia and I got engaged...... that is assuming she says 'yes.'
Olivia in real life: Hey Kyle that sounds like you...Oh, my name is Olivia...Wait, is that you?
Kyle on the podcast: "Olivia I know that we are listening to this together, and I just want to say that I love you, you are the meaning of my life. Will you marry me?"
Olivia in real life: *Blank/perplexed stare*
Kyle in real life: *Gets down on one knee*
Sam Sanders on the podcast: "It's a risk bro."
Olivia in real life: "Yes, wait, what!? Yes! ...Can we listen to it again!!"
Added Kyle, "Everyone always wants the perfect/clever wedding hashtag - I think Sam inadvertently gave us ours during the podcast. #itsariskbro
Check out pictures of Kyle and Olivia:
Alex & Tyler
Alexandria (aka Alex) Hammons and Tyler Abrams met in graduate school at Princeton, and are both BIG fans of the NPR Politics podcast. They love listening to the show together. Three years ago Tyler moved to San Diego, and the two have been long distance until recently. In February Alex defended her PhD Thesis in Molecular Biology & Neuroscience, allowing her the opportunity move out to San Diego and be with Tyler. Recently, they decided to propose to one another as a team, giving each the opportunity to propose to the other in their own way. You should also know they love to surprise one another. Tyler proposed to Alex on a hike, and she said 'Yes!' In turn Alex decided to reach out to the NPR Politics team and record a proposal of her own – they agreed! One evening, after a few games in their beach volleyball league, Alex and Tyler listened to the show at sunset. Although he didn't know it, Tyler was in for quite a shock.
Listen to Alex's proposal here:
And wouldn't you know it, Tyler said "yes" too. Instead of a ring, Alex got him a "Tyler Box," full all of his favorite things and gifts that are related to things about our relationship.
Check out some of the pictures from that evening:
Congrats to the happy couples!
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDExMDQwMzQzMDEzNjMyMTE3MjRkNzlmNg004))