Colorado Couple Gets Engaged in After-Hours Bookstore

Sometimes the perfect proposal doesn't need a mountain vista or crowded restaurant. It just needs the right person in the right place at the right time.

Luis, 29, knew exactly what would make his girlfriend Alyona's heart soar. As an avid reader who loves quiet moments together, she deserved a proposal surrounded by books.

He searched Denver for the perfect spot and found Capital Hill Books, a locally owned shop in the heart of the city. The owner happily agreed to lend the space for a private after-hours proposal on January 16.

Luis left no detail unplanned. He strung romantic lights overhead, placed candles on the bookshelves, and set up a small table with charcuterie and wine. He even rigged their old kitchen boombox to play "Meet Me in the City" by Junior Kimbrough, one of their favorite songs.

That morning, Alyona found a note on their kitchen counter with a riddle about books, rings, and eternity. It asked her to meet him at the bookstore at 6:15 p.m. sharp.

"I was so overwhelmed with emotion, pretty much the second I walked in the door," Alyona, 27, told People magazine. Luis dropped to one knee and presented a vintage-inspired oval diamond ring they had custom-designed together.

Sunny's Take

What makes this proposal so special isn't just the thoughtful planning. It's how well Luis understood what mattered most to his future wife.

The couple recently shared a video of the proposal on TikTok and Instagram, where it quickly went viral. Viewers praised Luis for creating something intimate rather than showy, personal rather than performance-driven.

"Intoxicated by the smells of the old dusty books on the shelves and the dimly lit lights, I could not have imagined a better night," Luis said. The same song that played on their kitchen boombox earlier that day played softly during the proposal.

Luis admits he practiced his proposal speech for months but could barely remember what he said when the moment arrived. "I like to think that I could have said nothing at all, and Alyona would have still been able to understand the magnitude of my emotion," he explained.

The couple's story reminds us that the most meaningful moments often happen when we tune out the noise and focus on what truly matters to the person we love.