Meet Putra, the man who helps to coordinate marriage proposals in Singapore
For some people, asking for someone’s hand in marriage may be more nerve-wracking than the actual wedding. This is where Putra comes in, helping anxious Singaporean men to ensure a smooth proposal.
From just $200, Putra Reyzal, 32, is able to put together a surprise marriage proposal that will leave a lasting memory on his clients’ partners.
Putra is able to pick the right decorations, which includes balloons that spell out “Will You Marry Me?”, flowers and, of course, candles. He has even gone to great lengths to put together a Hello Kitty-themed proposal just because a client’s future fiancée was a fan.
But it’s not just the decor that he’s in charge of. Putra fully involves himself by helping to run errands such as fetching the bouquet, ring and bottle of champagne while the couple go on with their day’s plans before the time comes to pop the question.
“I was surprised to receive such a great response after advertising my packages on Carousell,” said the father of four, who teams up with his wife for this side business. “It appears that many guys in Singapore would turn to the website to look for services that will help them put together a proposal.”
It takes Putra up to two weeks to prepare for each occasion, which usually takes place at a hotel room. His clients are typically aged between 23 and 31.
“Proposals are usually surprises for the ladies, which means that details of the timing and venue handed to me must be very accurate. Common hotels for marriage proposals in Singapore are M Social, Holiday Inn and Orchard Hotel,” said Putra. “I’ve coordinated marriage proposals at budget hotels too, like Value Hotel.”
Ensuring proposals run smoothly
According to Putra, who works as a full-time banquet captain at a hotel, many men in Singapore are clueless when it comes to setting the right mood for a proposal.
“I would give them examples of previous proposals to give them a rough idea of what usually takes place and highlight to them some of the things they shouldn’t forget – like the ring and their choice of outfit,” said Putra, who has been coordinating marriage proposals for nearly two years, alongside party planning and coordinating small-scale catering services.
However, there are times when proposals nearly ended badly.
“One proposal was almost cancelled after the couple got into a fight,” he said. The proposal was supposed to take place upon the couple’s return from a holiday, at the arrival hall of Changi Airport’s Terminal 2.
“I wasn’t able to contact the client because he was overseas and if an unknown number were to appear on his mobile phone, the then-girlfriend might feel suspicious,” he said. “Fortunately there was a contact based in Singapore that I could reach out to, and that person asked me to appear at the airport anyways since the package had already been paid for.”
Putra recalled arriving at the airport carrying all the decorations with sweaty palms and waiting for the couple anxiously. But what happened next made all his efforts worthwhile.
“The lady caught sight of the surprise proposal and looked shocked. She burst into tears and then she said ‘yes’.”
Seeing such tears of joy is one of the most fulfilling thing about his job, said Putra, whose own proposal to his wife wasn’t as romantic as he had hoped.
“I simply asked her during a dinner-date at a restaurant about 10 years ago,” he said. “These days, couples are always very busy or can’t afford to go on regular dates. So when it comes to a proposal, they’re willing to go all out.”
He added, “These gentlemen, they are more romantic than me.”
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