An Engagement to Remember

Stock quotes in this article: TIF , ZLC , NILE  

Will You Be Mine?
Editor's Note: As a special feature for February, TheStreet.com offers a five-part series on Valentine's Day designed to help you find the perfect gift.

A man in Austria rides into an office on an elephant. Has he lost his mind?

No, he's just going to propose to his girlfriend, who has a fascination with elephants.

And only Steve Sims, president of the Palm Beach, Fla.-based high-end service Bluefish Concierge, could concoct such an elaborate proposal -- which, incidentally, did require a donation to the local zoo.

Not surprisingly, the woman said yes, and the couple rode off happily into the sunset (or at least, out of the office) astride the majestic creature -- truly an engagement to remember.

As Valentine's Day rapidly approaches, in order to ensure a similar positive result, many men and women are looking for creative ways to ask their beloveds to spend the rest of their lives together.

Even if you're not an animal person, there's plenty of other outrageous ways to surprise (and succeed with) your loved one.

For a thespian-loving couple, Sims designed an intricate plan to rent out a small London theater and alter the script of a show they loved, a half hour into the performance.

In the middle of the show, the actors started ad-libbing, much to the girlfriend's dismay -- until her boyfriend then went on stage and proposed.

For Sims, who has countless contacts, the process was easy.

He simply contacted the theater, set up a date on which they weren't doing a matinee and, to cover the production costs, had his client buy out all the seats.

Additionally, to enhance the plan, the "audience" was composed of family members and friends -- decked out in stage makeup and costumes so the girlfriend wouldn't become suspicious.

Needless to say, she was completely taken by surprise, and the proposal was a wild success.

Sims, 40, originally from Ireland, previously worked at a foreign bank and made several contacts while entertaining foreign clients -- all of which have served him well in his new concierge business.

Over the Top

Bluefish has a reputation for planning unusual, even wild proposals, and judging from its client base, there is clearly a need for its services.

The company is rapidly expanding around the world to spots in London, New York, Japan, Russia and Dubai.

"We specialize in making your hopes and fantasies come true; we are basically the modern-day Fantasy Island," says Sims, a burly man with an eyebrow ring and goatee -- not your typical CEO.

Besides unique wedding proposals, his company creates once-in-a-lifetime experiences such as riding a fighter jet, going on an African safari or taking a private tour of the Titanic.

To view Danielle Sonneberg's video interview for today's Top 1% segment, click here.

To view Brittany Umar's video on finding the perfect engagement ring, click here.

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