She was embarrassed by boyfriend’s ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ proposal until she saw the town join in
It began as an awkward serenade but turned into a small-town moment that looked straight out of a movie.
Public proposals can make even the most romantic person nervous. So when Sarah Spring, who goes by @shakespearemadeclea on Instagram, saw her boyfriend, Randy Wade Kelley (@randsomnotes on Instagram), grab a microphone and start singing in front of everyone, she didn’t know where to look. It was loud, unexpected, and way too public until she noticed what was happening around her. Spring shared the moment through a video on her Instagram, which has garnered 1.3 million views and around 54,000 likes.
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Kelley had spent weeks planning the proposal. He had help from almost everyone in their small town to recreate Heath Ledger’s famous serenade from "10 Things I Hate About You." She explained in the caption, "The One Where Dame Sarah Gets Engaged! @randsomnotes conspired with my entire hometown to recreate Heath Ledger’s scene from my favorite movie, 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU."
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At first, Spring looked embarrassed as he sang "I Love You Baby" through the speakers. But within seconds, she realized the crowd around was clapping, recording, and cheering for them. When he dropped to one knee, she looked completely shocked, then she knelt beside him and said yes as the whole street erupted in applause. This moment not only created a memory for them both but also became part of a shared story between the couple and their community.
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Researchers have found that such moments can actually strengthen relationships. A 2022 study published in the Polish Psychological Bulletin found that couples who feel comfortable showing affection publicly tend to report higher relationship satisfaction. The researchers described these gestures as “social affirmations” that reinforce emotional connection and signal commitment within the broader community.
Later, Spring explained in the comments that the effort behind the scenes was as cinematic as it looked. "He got the whole community band to play for us, the town parade committee to clear the streets and let him use the platform & sound system, and a whole slew of town folk to distract me and get me where I needed to be!" she wrote. She later posted another video, where she thanked viewers for showering so much love on her proposal video.
The internet loved it just as much as the crowd. @jakob_simmet commented, "Kneeling down with him like that is something I haven’t really seen before. That touched me — it was a beautiful act. You are very in love." @macymay21 added, "I’ve been married 10 years, but I am soooo jealous! All-time fav movie." Others caught the small moments that made it special. @nikki_makattack said, "The lady shooing the people out of the middle so this lovely couple could have their moment is my spirit animal." @zanereinard chimed in, "Only pure love could give you the confidence to sing in public with that voice. (I’m not judging — I have a worse voice)."
You can follow Sarah Spring (@shakespearemadeclea) on Instagram for more acting coaching and personal content.
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