Friends came expecting brunch — until the menu QR code revealed two among them were secretly engaged

There’s nothing quite like getting engaged to the love of your life. But what's even more exciting is to share that news with your loved ones. While engagement announcements have taken all kinds of creative turns these days, Maureen Tang and Elmer Vivas went the extra mile to announce their engagement to their friends. In a video posted by Tang on her TikTok page @maureentang, she shared the moment their guests, who were supposedly invited to a brunch to celebrate a birthday, scanned what they believed was a list of custom cocktails. Instead, they were met with a surprise photo of the couple, newly engaged. Speaking to People, Tang said, "We wanted everyone to find out at the same time."

She and Vivas had spent weeks brainstorming ideas that would make their announcement feel special. Most of what they saw online were gender reveals or pregnancy announcements, but engagement reveals? Not so much. So, they decided to create their own. The couple uploaded a fake drink menu to Google Drive and generated a QR code that linked to it. The menu included drink names tailored to each guest, little jokes and nods only close friends would recognize. Once everyone had arrived, Tang casually encouraged them to check the menu. "It was so nerve-racking. We were worried that some people might not bother scanning it or that it wouldn’t load properly on everyone’s phones," Tang admitted.

The reveal left the entire table buzzing with excitement. Tang said, "We’re pretty private about our relationship. When I posted our engagement photos on Instagram, people were shocked because they didn’t even know we were dating." For her, sharing the moment was a way to inspire others who might be looking for fresh ways to announce their milestones. It was also deeply personal. When it came time to tell their families, the couple wrote notes in each other’s native languages: a message in Chinese for Tang’s mom and one in Spanish for Vivas’s family.

That same thoughtfulness carried into the brunch. From the carefully designed menu to the choice of guests, everything was meant to make everyone feel included. The experience has shifted how the couple thinks about their wedding. Initially, they had planned to keep it very small or skip the ceremony altogether. But the way their friends responded has made them reconsider. Tang said, "I realized how many people genuinely want to celebrate with us. It’s one thing to celebrate your love with your partner, but having your village around you makes it more special."

The video has since been viewed millions of times, with viewers praising the creativity and sincerity behind the idea. @marla9 commented, "Congratulations! Love it, the reactions and the joy it brought. Genius. Who is the mastermind behind this?" @islandgirl_760 wrote, "Omg I had to grab my other phone to see if I can scan the code and it did work. Congratulations." @uursulla added, "The people in the back are trying to figure it out." Others imagined how they would’ve reacted if they were nearby. @shantellejonee noted, "I'd be too nosy to be sitting at one of the other tables and not be all up in your business with that excited screaming. Congratulations, such a cute idea!" @gettmonnnie wrote, "The way I screenshot the QR code so I can also see the announcement."

You can follow Maureen Tang (@maureentang) on TikTok for more vlog-style content.