--- title: Watch This Guy Propose to His Girlfriend 365 Times Without Her Knowing description: He videotaped himself holding up a whiteboard, asking her to marry him, every day for a year canonical: https://time.com/3736803/man-proposes-to-girlfriend-365-times/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-03-09T01:18:47.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:43:30.160Z og:title: Watch This Guy Propose to His Girlfriend 365 Times Without Her Knowing og:description: He videotaped himself holding up a whiteboard, asking her to marry him, every day for a year og:url: https://time.com/3736803/man-proposes-to-girlfriend-365-times/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Watch This Guy Propose to His Girlfriend 365 Times Without Her Knowing twitter:description: He videotaped himself holding up a whiteboard, asking her to marry him, every day for a year twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Watch This Guy Propose to His Girlfriend 365 Times Without Her Knowing > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=6ec3bdfd-9d8b-4283-aa2b-f9cdfcf563c2&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Daily | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Richard Hall, Editor | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The informed consumer. A scaled audience of readers who turn to TIME to stay informed and make sense of the world, with meaningful reach across education and research, nonprofits and civic life, media and communications, government and public institutions, and business and professional services. ### TIME The Brief: key statements * The Brief is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * The Brief is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=6ec3bdfd-9d8b-4283-aa2b-f9cdfcf563c2&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/subscribe?i=6ec3bdfd-9d8b-4283-aa2b-f9cdfcf563c2&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's daily news newsletter? The Brief is TIME's daily newsletter, edited by Richard Hall. It curates the day's top headlines with TIME's reporting and analysis across politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is free to join at time.com/newsletters. #### How do I sign up for The Brief? The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. ## Video: Mix Tape Nostalgia: Cassette from My Ex [Watch (HLS stream): Mix Tape Nostalgia: Cassette from My Ex](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/YHzfVSOA.m3u8) (6:07)  _Published 2009-11-03. The multimedia project "Cassette From My Ex" documents the era of the mix tape, when people created personal soundtracks for their lives and loves_ by [Alexandra Zaslow / People](https://time.com/author/people/) ## Alexandra Zaslow / People Contributor Mar 9, 2015 1:18 AM UTC by [Alexandra Zaslow / People](https://time.com/author/people/) ## Alexandra Zaslow / People Contributor Mar 9, 2015 1:18 AM UTC Dean Smith has been prepping for his marriage proposal to his girlfriend Jennifer for 365 days. Smith videotaped himself holding up a whiteboard asking her to marry him every single day for a whole year, starting with January 8, 2014. He did this while he was doing everyday things, such as brushing his teeth, eating breakfast or folding laundry. The big reveal was while they were vacationing in Aruba with her family. The family, who were in on the creative proposal, escorted her to a beach using similar white boards and then sat her down in a chair and had her watch Smith’s video. “I just wanted to let you know how much I love you, how incredibly smart, funny, caring and stunningly beautiful you are,” Smith said in the video. “To me, you are perfect.” He revealed that he made the video the day he decided he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. “Jennifer, I love you more than anything in the world,” he said. “I know that you’re the person I want to spend the rest of my life with, but I want the timing to be perfect and make this moment special. For the next year, I’ll show you how much I love you and that you’re in my thoughts every day. I want to marry you.” Smith then walked up behind her on the beach and got down on one knee. It was an emotional gathering for all. One stranger who had gathered nearby even yelled out, “We all want invitations to the wedding!” The beautiful gesture was complete with a big group hug and lots of happy tears. [_This article originally appeared on People.com_](http://www.people.com/article/365-day-marriage-proposal-video-white-board) _Read next:_ [_Couple Married for 67 Years Die Together While Holding Hands_](http://time.com/3727306/couple-67-years-die-together/?xid=time%5Freadnext) [_Listen to the most important stories of the day._](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/?sl%5Fautoplay=true&xid=spl-fullbrief-article) ### Photographing a Kiss: Long Time Love Affairs  Joseph and Dorothy Bolotin Sharon, Pennsylvania Married on June 16, 1938\. Dorothy, "I never think of it in terms of years. I think of it in terms of good years. In love, hot romance doesn’t last forever. So I would say that yes, I think love changes. I would say we’re still in love. It’s focusing, doing little things. He’s an amazing man." Lauren Fleishman  John and Sherma Campbell Star Valley, Wyoming Married on May 13, 1955\. Sherma, "When you start out, you think you love each other as much as you possibly can,but love grows—just like your inner self grows as time goes by and you have experiences.And now at this stage of the game, I love him even more. I can’t even imagine life without him." Lauren Fleishman  Jin Lin and Lai Mei Chen Brooklyn, New York Married on February 4, 1961\. Jin Lin, "We had so many things in common it was like our hearts were the same." Lauren Fleishman  de'Spagnolis Aldo de’Spagnolis and Maria Filiozzi Itri, Italy Married on October 23, 1949\. Aldo, "When I first saw her, she was 14 and I was 22.Was there a concern that she was too young for me? No! Even now I look like a young child! Yes, even now I’m still young." Lauren Fleishman  Jake and Mary Jacobs Solihull, England Married on April 27, 1948\. Mary,"Jake said to me,'Would it ever be possible for me to marry you?' And I said,'Possible but not probable!' And that’s how it was. It wasn’t likely that I would ever marry him, and he knew that. So when he went home to Trinidad, my mother and father breathed a sigh of relief. But he used to write, and he said, 'I’m thinking I might come back to England.'" Lauren Fleishman  Kissin Yevgeniy and Lyubov Kissin Brooklyn, New York Married on June 29, 1941\. Yevgeniy, "We met at a dancing party. It was in January 1938\. My friend invited me to the party, he said there would be a lot of beautiful young girls. Another cadet with high boots had approached her, but she didn’t like high boots and so she said no to him. I was the second one to approach her. I had a different uniform, but I’m still not sure if it was my uniform or my face that attracted her to me." Lauren Fleishman  Itig and Golda Pollac Brooklyn, New York Married on August 13, 1946\. Golda, "I would say love came little by little. Not right away.We were young.And he was older, but I liked him. He spoke to me in a very nice way." Lauren Fleishman  Yaakov and Mariya Shapirshetyn Brooklyn, New York Married on July 6, 1949\. Yaakov, "What is the secret to love? A secret is a secret, and I don’t reveal my secrets." Lauren Fleishman  Gino and Angie Terranova Staten Island. New York Married on September 27, 1947\. Angie, "You really don’t think about getting older. First of all, you’re aging together, and when you see a person constantly,you don’t notice big changes. Like you don’t notice, oh you’re getting a little wrinkle here and tomorrow you say it’s a little deeper. No, those are things that just happen." Lauren Fleishman ## Transcript >> In high school, I was a chubby, self- conscious Christian that never really went out on many dates. >> When Arthur Jones thinks back to his teenage years in the early '90s, he feels an internal battle between angst and nostalgia. >> And so, often, I would like make a mixtape for a girl, hoping that maybe she would see something in me because this mixtape was so cool and maybe realize that there would be this more complicated, sensitive human underneath it. >> Jones says he can't recall any of the tapes he made resulting in major victories. He does recount a mix that was made for him that definitely worked. >> We were driving around in her car and this was in Morrill, Kansas. And we're driving around in her car and we parked in a cornfield and one thing led to another and she's like, " Hey, maybe, we should listen to the tape ." And it turns out the tape that I thought was this sort of lovingly constructed mixtape was actually just Pearl Jam Ten recorded onto this tape and I lost my virginity to this tape. >> Welcome to the world of Cassette from My Ex, a multimedia project that captures the era of the mix, the time in the '80s and '90s when people expressed themselves through painstakingly arranged playlist recorded onto 60- and 90- minute tapes. Cassette from My Ex creator, Jason Bitner, says his quest began in his basement. >> You know, I was going through the suitcase and I realized I have all these tapes, but I don't have anything to play them on. And it's just-- started me thinking, you know, why am I holding on to these things? Not only is thing music, but it's really like a time capsule for this era, this bygone era where music meant everything. >> So, Jason Bitner set out to see who else was holding on to these audio messages from the past. What he found were deeply nostalgic people in their 30s and 40s, people like novelist, Fiona Maazel. >> Sisters of Mercy, the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I usually would be sitting on the floor, you know, on the carpet and I would take out all my tapes and sort of half- moon them around the end and begin to pick and choose and then you would start compiling on a piece of paper. Sometimes, it could take days. You know, you really wanted to be inspired and come up with the perfect song to fit into that last spot, you know. This is my farewell. >> Mixtapes were more than just music. The paper insert in the plastic cassette case was a sort of easel, a place to express oneself further through original artwork, distinctive handwriting, and personal messages. Maazel's favorite tape was from her high school boyfriend who made it for her when she moved to the west coast as a teen. >> Spent my days with a woman unkind. Smoked my stuff and drank all my wine. >> The tape was a kind of a goodbye tape and a Remember Me tape and I listen to it everyday, you know, for the first six months that I was in Los Angeles. >> Made up my mind to make a new start. Going To California with an aching in my heart. >> You know, I didn't have any friends, and so, I would sit there in the cafeteria all by myself, you know, listening [ unk ] to my mixtape and thinking about all my friends back home and how much I hated, you know, everything, everyone. And then, you know, I've moved on. I survived. >> Claudia Gonson traces her career as a musician all the way back to a pair of mixtapes she received in high school from a band mate and her then boyfriend. >> Well, John and Stephin started me, just created me. I met them when I was 15 or just turning 15. And before that, I was a classical pianist who listened to, in terms of pop, probably The Beatles and David Bowie. >> Gonson is now the keyboardist and manager of the indie pop band, The Magnetic Fields. She says her success is owed impart to those two guys and their mixtapes. >> I mean, literally, the first time I met them, there was like this incredible debate going on about the best Yoko Ono records and the best Lindsey Buckingham solo records. It was like it was on a level of erudition and accomplishment and understanding that was so far beyond anything I understood in terms of music. >> Cassette from My Ex creator, Jason Bitner, has spent the last year and a half listening to the entirety of audios, tapes and the 100 or so others he's received from both friends and unknowns. >> I think what people are talking about are sort of the things that formed their initial person. And these things are really important. And these kind of talk about where I'd come from and then who I am today. >> And to those who are brave enough to not only dig their old mixtapes out of the basement but actually listen to them again, there's an interesting and often emotional reunion with the past awaiting. >> Now, looking back on myself as a teenager, I don't know what I would say to him. I feel like I probably would have told him to put on a nice Al Green number. Let's have some emotion in there. Let's not be afraid of emotion. Let's really, you know-- Let's get in there and lay it on the line. >> Jason Bitner says he knows there are more Arthur Jones' out there-- people with boxes or suitcases or glove compartments full of mixtapes waiting to be resurrected. He says he hopes the narratives in his book and on his website convince more to share their moments in time and the soundtracks that accompanied them. With TIME. com, I'm Jesse Hardman in New York. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3736803/man-proposes-to-girlfriend-365-times/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3736803/man-proposes-to-girlfriend-365-times/"},"headline":"Watch This Guy Propose to His Girlfriend 365 Times Without Her Knowing","datePublished":"2015-03-09T01:18:47.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:43:30.160Z","description":"He videotaped himself holding up a whiteboard, asking her to marry him, every day for a year","url":"https://time.com/3736803/man-proposes-to-girlfriend-365-times/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Living","relationships"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alexandra Zaslow / People"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3736803/man-proposes-to-girlfriend-365-times/","name":"Watch This Guy Propose to His Girlfriend 365 Times Without Her Knowing"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Mix Tape Nostalgia: Cassette from My Ex","description":"The multimedia project \"Cassette From My Ex\" documents the era of the mix tape, when people created personal soundtracks for their lives and loves","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/YHzfVSOA/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2009-11-03T00:41:45.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/YHzfVSOA.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3736803/man-proposes-to-girlfriend-365-times/","duration":"PT6M7S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3736803/man-proposes-to-girlfriend-365-times/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```