Submitted by:

Courtney Grace
Nicholas Griggs-Drane
Thomas Pelkey

Contact info:
722 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02215
(804) 370-5207
ngriggsd@bu.edu

WGAE
#
913456

October 16, 2014

Sandy Varo Jarrell

Senior VP of Production & Development - West Coast
TLC
10100 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 1500
Los Angeles, CA 90067

Dear Ms. Varo Jarrell:

Just a few days ago, a video documenting a mans 17-month-long planning of his elaborate
marriage proposal went viral online. This video is the latest in a long history of hit Internet
videos depicting spectacular, over-the-top proposals. On YouTube, engagement videos of
proposals involving flash mobs, hot air balloons, sports games, country singers, Disneyland
parades, etc. have achieved upwards of 30 million views.
Put a Ring on It
is a reality program that builds upon this proven Internet success. In the
show, a team of experts (event planners, jewelers, travel specialists, even pyrotechnicians)
help a proposer pop the question to his or her partner in the most magical, memorable
way.
Put a Ring on It
makes dreams come true for loving couples by living out the fantasies
about that special moment that so many of us imagine.
Thank you for your consideration. We will follow up with a call in the next few weeks.
Sincerely,
Courtney Grace
cgrace@bu.edu
Nicholas Griggs-Drane
ngriggsd@bu.edu
Thomas Pelkey
tpelkey@bu.edu

FACT SHEET
Put a Ring on It
WHAT:
Jay Hobbs leads a team of fellow engagement experts in helping a proposer pop the
question in the most perfect way. With their expertise in travel, entertainment, event
planning, dress, jewelry, etc. the
Put a Ring on It
team turns the simple but special act of
proposing marriage into the most spectacular of occasions. Its
Extreme Makeover: Home
Edition
for loving couples. The show will follow the arrangement and execution of
elaborate marriage proposals and the dramatic mishaps that occur in trying to fulfill plans
perfectly. Whether it is ensuring 100 fireworks shoot off correctly or convincing a nervous
proposer not to get cold feet, the
Put a Ring on It
team makes sure that special moment is
everything you wish it to be and more.
WHY:
As made evident by the consistent popularity of engagement videos online, elaborate
marriage proposals have become a cultural phenomenon. The videos have been mainstays
of YouTube for the past few years, reaching an upwards of 30 million hits but routinely
achieving several million. As social media has expanded, so have the sharing of these
videos. TLC has proven that television audiences have a voracious appetite for wedding
related programming. An entire subgenre of reality TV has emerged because of it. Yet, a
show portraying the start of the wedding process--the marriage proposal--has yet to air. By
repackaging this Internet success for mainstream television, TLC has the opportunity to
expand its hit wedding programming with very little risk. And a particular draw of this
show is its significant opportunity for integrated product placement.
WHERE:
TLC
WEB:
Proposers will be able to submit videos to the engagement experts online, where
they argue why they should be selected for the show. Tips from the engagement experts on
how to plan your own perfect proposal will be made available. Clips from the episodes will
be made available online to encourage sharing on social media sites.
WHO:
Courtney Grace, Nicholas Griggs-Drane, Thomas Pelkey (Renforth Productions)
TEAM:
Jay Hobbs (Owner/Proposal Expert at Perfect Proposal) Carla Domen (VP of GBK
Productions), Brenda Della Casa (Editor in Chief at Preston Bailey), Diane Sakakini-Roa
(Esplanade Luxury Travel Agent)

Purpose

TLC has gained a loyal viewership for its lineup of shows that center around marriage and
weddings. However, a show which focuses on the memorable but often nerve-racking
event that must take place before any nuptials--the engagement proposal--has yet to be
created.

The marriage proposal is a widespread tradition familiar to practically everyone. This

custom has been expanding as non-traditional marriage becomes tolerated and legalized.
So far, 30 states have legalized same-sex marriage, which is a majority of the country for
the first time, and the U.S. Supreme Courts October 6th denial to hear states gay marriage
appeals legally protects the acceptance of same-sex marriage for the foreseeable future.
This expands the possibility of marriage and the practice of engagement proposal to a
larger population.

As society becomes increasingly interconnected than ever through media, news of an event
as personal and memorable as a marriage proposal has the ability to spread in a viral
manner. In this day and age, not only does the news get shared with family and friends but
now particularly interesting proposals reach even complete strangers. Elaborate and
over-the-top proposals have become fixtures of social media sites. A video of a man who
created a mini-movie and screened it for his fianc to-be went viral on YouTube, achieving
over 30 million views, and many other proposal videos have since followed with similar
success.

Because of phenomenon like this, the marriage proposal has become just as important as
the actual wedding ceremony. And the manner in which one says Will you marry me? has
become just as, if not more, important than the question itself.

Put a Ring on It
builds upon these Internet hits by elevating it to television--placing the
concept of elaborate proposal into the national spotlight and giving it the Hollywood
treatment.

With marriage proposal a staple of the popular culture, the potential audience for
Put a
Ring on It
spans the 18-24 and the 18-49 year old demographics for women. Being related
to marriage, it is timeless, and with a diversified range of topics, TLCs programming always
attempts to achieve one thing: to teach the viewer something, and leave them with a
take-away.

Competing shows include many of the wedding-related programs which already air on the
TLC network, although the concept is different enough that the program would actually
complement the existing schedule rather than trump it. Rival programs from other
networks include ABCs
The Bachelor
and
The Bachelorette
and WE tvs
Bridezillas
.
However,
the premise of

Put a Ring On It
does not include competing contestants and its
tone is far more heart-warming than
Bridezillas
.

In addition, the program allows opportunities for high-revenue advertising through

product placement. Vendors in hospitality and entertainment will be able to use air-time to
sell their products via sponsorship. This will not only bring in advertising money but act as
a trade outlet for exotic products and services (i.e. hotel stays, luxury cars, venues for
rental, etc).

Program Description
Logline
Marriage proposals take new heights when entertainment and hospitality professionals
come together to create larger-than-life experiences for couples about to tie the knot.
Put a
Ring On It
is a reality weekly program that showcases the planning, tension, and execution
of different couples proposals and viewers will watch to see who will out do the next.

Overview
What was once a traditional and timeless event - involving a ring, getting down on one
knee, the teary acceptance or rejection - has become a vital part of the marriage ceremony.
Extreme Makeover
meets the wedding industry in
Put a Ring On It,
which
takes the average

marriage proposal and turns it to an elaborate event, crafted by professionals in the

industry, including a proposal expert, two event planners from New York City and the L.A.
area, a luxury travel agent and the CEO of a jewelry company. Audiences will follow one
couple per half-hour episode as the proposer attempts to pull off an intricate engagement
scheme in secrecy, before revealing the whole plan to his/her fiance to be.

The show does not have a specific setting, but rather travels to wherever that specific
episodes cast lives and makes travel arrangements from there if necessary. The first part of
the episode gets the backstory from the proposer-to-be and what his big idea is. Plans
could include anything from sports games, the rental of exclusive locations, pyrotechnics
and firework shows, concerts, celebrity guest appearances, and more. From there, the
event is planned hastily by the cast in all aspects, from travel to entertainment to the ring

itself. Conflict will be created by way of the proposer attempting to pull off this ultimate
marriage proposal but may include travel delays/cancellations, miscommunications, failed
plans, technological malfunctions and the like. The last ten minutes of each episode will be
the proposal itself, and whether or not the cast and the proposer can pull off the elaborate
project. Time is of the essence and tensions run high, keeping viewers engaged until the
very last moment wondering will they pull it off? and will he or she say yes?

The team of experts involves a number of industry professionals, all of whom boast an
impressive list of contacts and resources in order to pull off the proposal. Jay Hobbs is the
CEO and founder of Cleveland-base perfectproposal.co, as well as a noted expert on the
wedding industry and, specifically, the engagement. Carla Domen and Brenda Della Casa
are both celebrity event planners, the former hailing from Southern Californias GBK
Productions and the latter, from NYCs Preston Bailey. Diane Sakakini-Roa of Boston is a
luxury travel agent, arranging lavish travel accommodations quickly and efficiently. This
group will appear every episode and aid each new proposer in his or her attempt to pull off
the event of a lifetime.

Because the nature of the show is not competitive, the real conflict will be difficulty in
planning and executing the elaborate, over-the-top plans.
Put a Ring On It
is for the
wedding fanatics, and explores an area of the industry that has become lucrative and huge
on social media, but has yet to make its way to national television.

Cast
- PLANNING TEAM Jay Hobbs
- Proposal and Wedding Planner/Expert:
Jay Hobbs is the owner of
perfectproposal.co
, a Cleveland-based company
that boasts a number of contacts that can help pull off the ultimate
proposal. He has been contacted about doing reality shows of this nature in
the past, but no plans have been in the works for a show about proposals.
His expertise in proposal planning will bring experience in this niche
industry and an already seasoned idea of how to execute these grandiose
proposals.

Carla Domen
- VP of GBK Productions:
Carla Domen works for GBK Productions one of LAs most respected event
planning agencies for the entertainment industry and celebrities. Carla
has designed and produced many successful events for major corporations
including BET Networks and TMZ, and A-list events such as the Black Eyed
Peas / Sports Illustrated Super Bowl Party and Capital A/Myspace NBA
All-Star Party. Carla will bring her connections and event planning
expertise to actually execute these proposals.

Brenda Della Casa

- Editor-in-Chief at Preston Bailey:
Brenda Della Casa is an internationally-published author, freelance
writer, and columnist who specializes in romance, lifestyle and wellness
features. She currently works for Preston Bailey which is known as New
York Citys premier event designer for a client roster that includes
celebrities, royal families, CEOs and athletes. Brenda will bring her
background in popular and romantic culture to foster the most extreme
proposals and use her connections within the industry to pull off these
challenging goals.
Nadine McCarthy
- CEO of Stone & Strand:
Stone & Strand is a start-up business that focuses on luxury jewelry for
wealthy clients. Nadine has lived all over the world and know the best of
the best when it comes to jewelry. Engagement rings are an extremely

important part of the engagement process, and Nadine will help the proposer find the
perfect ring!

Diane Sakakini-Roa
- Esplanade Luxury Travel Agent:
Diane is a Luxury Travel Agent headquartered in Boston. Her agency
focuses on exotic excursions all over the world. Diane will be able to
bring connections and company relations to the
Put a Ring on It
team in
order to accommodate any destination-oriented plans.

- GUEST COUPLES CARRIE AND RYAN:

Ryan and Carrie met in college at Florida International University and
began dating. Post-graduation, Carrie assumed the position as majority
breadwinner when Ryans employment wasnt totally secure. The two
eloped a year and a half after dating in a Miami-Date County
courtroom and Ryan, at the time, didnt have the money to buy Carrie a
ring. Now that they are in a better place, both financially and as
husband and wife, Ryan wants to give her the engagement and the
wedding she always wanted.

JORDY AND MONICA:

Jordy and Monica met in high school. The sweethearts continued to
date despite attending colleges in different parts of the country.
Post-college, the two rekindled and were able to find jobs in the Seattle
area (she, a pilates/yoga instructor at a chain of luxury gyms and he, a
consultant at a large firm). They both have pretty rigid work schedules
but are excited to start their lives together and eventually, a family.
She loves going out dancing with friends and listening to music, and
Beyonce is her absolute favorite. Ryan isnt the biggest fan but is
willing to put aside his own opinions to make this a moment his love will always
remember.

KARL AND CHRISTIAN:

Karl and Christian have been dating for five years. Both professional
dancers, they pride themselves on leading an active lifestyle which
includes hiking, their favorite pastime. Mount Pinos in the Los Padres
National Forest, CA, has been one of their climbing goals - specifically
Christians - for a long time. At the top of that rock, Christian may be
placing one on his own finger.

Episode Treatments
1.

JORDY AND MONICA:

Jordy is proposing to Monica. Jordy submits his video and explains that Monica is a
huge Beyonce fan and wants to make a great proposal, but isnt sure how to go
about it. The team gets together and decides that the first step is to get in touch
with Beyonces team and see what they can get together. The collaboration of the
teams determine that they can first surprise Monica with tickets to the Beyonce
concert and make her think that she is going with two of her best girlfriends for
spur-of-the-moment night out. The cameras are justified by she was nominated by
one of her friends for a Beyonce Experience Sweepstakes. She has only 20 minutes
to get dressed and then a limo pulls up to pick up the girls and take them shopping
for outfits and to get their hair blown-out at the drybar. When they arrive to the
concert, Monica realizes that these tickets are actually front row VIP tickets and
begins to freak out. Little does she know that JORDY has been planning this all
along. The teams think that Jordy should come out on the stage during the show,
but they dont know that Jordy has the worlds worst stage fright. Before the show,
Jordy looks out into the crowd and runs to the bathroom to throw up. Extremely
worried, the producers think that this is the end and try to get together a plan to
make this work. However, Jordy comes out of the bathroom and tells them that this
will make Monicas life forever better and hes going to just face his fears. Showtime

comes, and Monica is in the crowd jamming out! Beyonce in one of her song breaks,
welcomes Jordy out saying that she has a special friend who wanted to change
someones life forever. Jordy, super nervous, appears in a tuxedo looking like a
million bucks, and a close-up on Monica shows her jaw dropping and tears start to
flow. Beyonce talks a little bit and welcomes Monica up on stage and security walks
her up to meet both Jordy and Beyonce. Monica is shaking with overwhelming
adrenaline and is asking Whats going on? Jordy is shaking with overwhelming
nerves and Beyonce hugs them both and says its all fine. She whispers into Jordys
ear, Good Luck, youve got this! Beyonce hugs Monica and tells Jordy the stage is
all his. He gets on one knee and the crowd goes wild. After she says yes, her iconic
song Crazy in Love begins to play and crowd goes wild, and Monica gets to see
Beyonce perform the song from the side of the stage. An experience not many get to
have.

2.

THOMAS AND KATIE:

The boyfriend, THOMAS, submits a video requesting help to execute the perfect
proposal. The on-camera planning team reviews the tape and discusses how they
know they can pull this off. In the video, Thomas mentions that him and his
girlfriend, KATIE, met outside a Pittsburgh Steelers football game during the
tailgate. Katis is one of the biggest Steelers fans and everything she talks about is
football and her favorite team. He wants to propose to her on the field of the
stadium to bring it back to where it all began. The team organizes it that all from
arranging the Steelers to be at the proposal, the renting the entire stadium out, and
coordinating the invitations and travel of everyone involved. Both of Thomass and
Katies families are flown in, but there is a catch. The two families havent met
before. What will happen if they dont click with one and other? Luckily, they get
over the awkward tension and the plan continues. Katie is meanwhile being picked
up in a limo from her house and is handed a letter from her best friend that reads:
Dear Katie, Get dressed for a night under the stars where no one can Steel you.

She is wearing a Steelers sweatshirt. Confused, she gets dressed and gets in the
Limo where she finds four more of her friends that have been flown in from all over
the country. The girls pop bottles of champagne in the back of the stretch limo and
start driving. Katie is asked to put on a blindfold and is driven to the stadium where
Thomas is waiting in the middle of field. A man takes her arms and she asks, Who
is this? Her father replies with , Do you know where you are? Instantly
recognizing his voice, she begins to laugh and has a smile from ear-to-ear. Her
father walks her to the middle of the field. She takes off her blindfold, and the
proposal commences. The Steelers team is standing in an arc behind Thomas and
Katie is in shock. Pure excitement and overwhelming emotions are coming from
Katie, and the tears begin to flow.

3.

CARRIE AND RYAN:

Now that CARRIE and RYAN are more secure financially after a few years of
employment woes and a courtroom elopement, he wants to give her the wedding of
her dreams, including an over-the-top proposal. Carrie is a lover of the beach and
the ocean, especially marine life. Ryan submits a video to
Put a Ring On It
asking for
the casts help in planning a destination proposal in the Bahamas, with all of Carries
family and close friends being present as well. Diane (of Esplanade Luxury Travel
Agency) helps prepare the private flights and hotel stays. On the day of their
departure, a crew of men dressed in scuba suits come in to Carries workplace and
ask her to come with them on an adventure. Carries co-workers are in on the gig,
and she looks confused but excited. Carrie is flown in her own private jet, and
continues to receive small packages from the stewardess containing scuba supplies,
such as a mask, snorkel, and a new bathing suit. Meanwhile, Ryan and a group of
Carries immediate family and close friends arrive at the hotel and meet Diane there,
who goes to check in to the rooms and get them ready for the big reveal.
Unbeknownst to her, however, the hotel was completely overbooked and their

rooms were given away, leaving them stranded and vulnerable to be visible by
Carrie if she walks into the lobby. Diane is very upset and engages into an
altercation with the hotel manager. Quick camera cuts show Carrie emerging from
the plane and switches back to her welcoming committee as they rush to seek refuge
at a neighboring hotel. They succeed, and hastily enter their rooms just in time to
change and head to the beach. Carrie enters her room to find a list of instructions.
She puts on her new gear and meets a local tour guide, who leads her down to a
secluded beach and directs her into the water, where she begins to swim around,
surrounded by beautiful coral and exotic marine life. All of a sudden, Ryan swims up
behind her and grabs her waist, startling her. The two come up, gasping for air and
laughing hysterically. Ryan! she cries, what is going on? Without saying a word,
he takes her hand and takes her back underwater, where a large painted sign amidst
the coral. It reads I know we may be under the sea, but Ive got to know: will you
marry me? Carrie looks ecstatic, and from behind the sign emerges her friends and
family. They all return to the beach so Ryan can present the ring as the sun sets over
the Caribbean.

4.

SCOTT AND MARY:

Mary is a Pediatric Intensive Care nurse who works extremely long hours. Marys
older sister suffers from Cerebral Palsy, so when she is not at work - Mary is visiting
and taking care of her sister. Scott recognizes Marys hard work and wants the big
question to be as special as possible. Scott works with the team and decides that
Mary could first-and-foremost use a day to be pampered. They plan to surprise her
with her mom and four best friends in a hummer stretch limo. They are to go to get
their nails and hair done, out for lunch at Marys favorite Greek restaurant -
Stellas
,
and then each will be able to buy an outfit for a surprise event scheduled to take
place later that night. At each location, the team has set up for Mary to receive
letters explaining where her next stop will be. The letters leave much to be
explained, and Mary will be confused yet enjoying herself because its a day about

her. Meanwhile, Scott is working with proposal expert, Jay Hobbs to figure out how
surprise Mary at the actual proposal. Scott explains that Marys favorite location in
right outside the city and its this drop-off cliff that she has always wanted to go
paragliding off, but never had the time. The path of the paragliding overlooks this
field that Jay wants to have will you marry me mowed into. Jay understands that it
is private property, but attempts to make it happen. The owner of the property
doesnt want Will You Marry Me? mowed into the field, but Jay manages to pull
together enough incentive with money, a vacation, and an invitation to the wedding
in order to entice the man. The ladies have their spa day, get dressed and Mary is
blindfolded in the limo. The limo takes them to her favorite spot on the cliff where
Scott is waiting already suited up ready to paraglide. Mary is the only one who gets
out of the limo and asks Scott, Whats happening? Scott said he wanted to make
one of her dreams come true because he knew how hard she had been working to
keep her sister happy and all the kids at the hospital where she works. A
paragliding team quickly suits her up before she can ask many more questions.
They take off and enjoy the view. Meanwhile, her friends and mom are racing down
to the landing spot where they plan to meet them for the actual proposal. However,
the run into problems when the wild takes them on a different route. The limo is
trying to chase the paragliders and almost misses the landing. Marys mom is
stressing hardcore because she doesn't want to miss her only daughters proposal!
Scott and Mary are in the air and Mary sees the field that reads Will You Marry
Me? and starts smiling, screaming, and laughing. Their paragliders are separate, so
they cant really talk much, but when they land she runs to his arms and screams
YES! The family made the landing and all ended well that day.

5.

KARL AND CHRISTIAN

Karl and Christian are both professional dancers and lead very active lifestyles. The
two have been together for five years and hate just sitting on the couch - they are
constantly outside, breaking a sweat and enjoying one anothers company. They

specifically love to hike, and have been invited on a trek up Mount Pinos in the Los
Padres National Forest with a group of other hiking enthusiasts. Karl knows that it
has been Christians dream to reach this 8,831 foot peak, so Karl sees this as his
opportunity. He asks the event team to plan a camera crew to follow Christian as he
and the group ascend up the mountain, making him believe that they are a part of an
expos being done on adventure thrill-seekers. Meanwhile, Karl calls for a
helicopter to fly him and Christians family to the peak of the mountain and wait for
him to reach the top, surprising him. The day of the hike rolls around, and the
camera crew is following Christian and the gang up the mountain. The winds are
pretty strong today, and they decide to take a different course than intended,
reaching the peak from a different angle. Unaware of this, Karl and Christians family
are in the helicopter, flying over gorgeous views of the state park. They land in the
spot that the hikers were originally supposed to reach the top in and wait 15
minutes later, there is no sign of them. A producer from the camera crew that had
followed Christian up the mountain comes running into view, informing them that
the group has made it to the top in the new location. The group begins running, and
Christian looks up to see Karl and all of his friends and family heading towards him.
He is completely surprised, a clear look of triumph from not only having
accomplished his dream hike but also that this group is waiting for him at the top.
Knowing what is about to happen, he begins to laugh as Karl drops to one knee and
begins his proposal. He says yes!

Web Integration
Because of the popularity of related YouTube videos, the shows website will include short
summary videos of each episode and end with the proposal itself, so viewers can see the
highlights again, in a condensed form. The website will also facilitate easy sharing via social
media.
The application to become a cast member on the show will also be found online, and would
include a video component from the auditioner that could later be used as footage on the
show itself. The website would also include opportunities for banner or small side-panel
advertising from participating companies on the show, with follow-through click links to
their respective websites.
Since TLC already boasts a webpage for each of their shows,
Put a Ring On It
would follow
the same style, but include top-rated proposal videos, a FAQ section on how to plan and
execute the big question, a link to send in your application video and a meet the team
page, which provides short bios and pictures of the recurring cast members who create
these dream proposals. Social media icons redirect viewers to respective Facebook, Twitter
and Instagram pages, making these sites easily attainable.

Making the happily-ever-after, larger-than-life

Jay Hobbs
and his crew know how to pull off the perfect proposal. Once a businessman
interested in the inner workings of the wedding industry, Hobbs started his own company
that focused specifically on planning and executing a marriage proposal that would stand
out amongst traditional engagements.
In
Put a Ring On It,
Hobbs and his team, members of the entertainment industry, travel
agencies, event planning companies, and jewelers, assist the proposer in order to
accomplish the perfect proposal. This show is in the style of
Extreme Makeover: Home
Edition
, but for proposals - the team of experts work together to develop the perfect
engagement.
The cast is chosen through online video applications and seek to help the average man or
woman propose to his or her intended spouse. Money is no object--what matters is the
memory that will be created. Whether it is a proposal underneath the Eiffel Tower
surrounded by friends and family, or a hot air balloon ride with Mariah Carey, the ultimate
proposal attempts to be created with the help of a star-studded team of professionals and
the dreams of the proposer.