Yuval & Mark: A Flashmob Engagement
Mark & Yuval
Theirs was the engagement seen around the world! Yuval and Mark’s flash mob engagement has been viewed by millions of people the world over. The viral YouTube video of their deeply emotional and personal moment has become a worldwide declaration of love.
Said Yuval: “One of the most affecting things that came of our proposal video is the great positive support from around the world. We have received encouraging and heartfelt messages from people of all genders, sexualities, ethnicities, and nationalities. People have been moved by this special moment in our lives. We also have had people communicate with us who live in places where the LGBT community does not have equal rights, let alone marriage equality – that is heart-breaking. But, we communicate with them and show our support to them.”
Mark and Yuval met on OK Cupid two years ago at a time where both of them were “dating with intensity,” said Mark. Having both gone “through it” in their dating lives, they had reached a point where they were comfortable being alone instead of being in something less than meaningful.
They were more comfortable being alone instead of being in something less than meaningful.
Their first date, a coffee date at Bouchon Bakery in New York, immediately yielded that spark that both were intently looking for. Yuval could find no red flags, Mark knew this had legs as they both felt connected spiritually, intellectually and physically. “Our stars aligned, and the glittering lights of the décor and festive spirit of the holidays made the date very magical,” both remarked. They were so captivated in conversation, that they never even ordered coffee!
At the end of their first month together, both recognized that something special was happening, and they were in love. “Within the first months of our relationship, referring to each other as ‘boyfriend’ did not measure up to the connection we felt, so we started calling each other partners,” noted Yuval. It is no surprise that by month two they’d be talking about the potential of marriage, a reality that their friends and family also felt. “Our aligned values made bonding and blending easily.”
With marriage on the cards, every moment in their relationship seemed like an opportunity to get engaged, especially since Yuval and Mark are devoted to each other, with an ever-deepening relationship, and romantically celebrating “weekaversaries,” “monthaversaries,” travel abroad and historic moments. “We were in Hollywood when the Supreme Court ruling came down. To be there with Mark, and connected to the LGBTQ community, all finally able to fulfil a future in which we can call each other husband, was monumental,” said Yuval.
“We didn’t really know what the protocol was. Who proposes to whom,” said Yuval. It was hard for Yuval not to ask Mark, but Mark had declared: “given there are no real rules to follow, I told Yuval I’d ask. All I said, is that I wanted to do it in my own special way, that he couldn’t ask many any questions, and he would not know when it was going to happen.”
As contemporary as the flashmob is, Mark wanted to be equally traditional. He even asked Yuval’s parents for his hand and marriage. “He seamlessly bonded with my family, as if they had known each other for many years. They saw the magic of our relationship. And, my father even referred to Mark as a new light in his life,” said Yuval. Mark added that his own parents, too, were happy for both of them. “And, my parents adored Yuval from the first moments they met,” said Mark. Since their families approved and were happy for the couple, Mark explained, “I wanted the proposal to feel natural and waited for it to arise.” But once it did, Mark and Yuval’s mother set to designing the ring in the style of Yuval’s grandfather who was a jeweler.
As contemporary as the flashmob is, Mark wanted to be equally traditional.
Mark next reached out to Book a Flash Mob to set the plans in motion. “They made it so simple for me,” said Mark. “They asked how I “moved” and put my choreography on video for me to rehearse on my own. I was a bit nervous about our not having danced with the dancers until the actual moment!” The music would be the couple’s love song and then a more up-tempo track for Mark to join in on.
On December 13th, on the occasion of Yuval’s family being in New York, the group headed off to brunch. “I didn’t know why everyone was so anxious and rushing. I figured they were all “hangry!” said Yuval of the odd energy everyone was putting forward. Mom and Dad were ready to go. His brother had cut his workout short. Yuval’s family was all in on making sure that Yuval arrive at the correct location and at the right time. And, despite the cabbie missing the exact corner, everyone made it.
Yuval was struck by the fact that they had fortuitously stumbled up on a public dance performance in a flash-mob style. In fact, he recognized some of the dancers. But, then it started to sink in: this flash mob was for him. And, rather than try to describe the experience or the emotion of the experience, we invite you to watch for yourselves.
Watch the video on Yuval's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucbFrssj6hQ
The couple loves spending time together -- they are an example of what a passionate and adoring relationship should be. Their time together is cherished. And, the close connection to family and friends is important to each of them, as well. They seamlessly bonded with each other’s family and friends. Just as Mark effortlessly bonded with Yuval’s family, Yuval’s relation upon the first of many visits to Mark’s family was effortless, even though it was the first time Mark brought home a partner to his family in Iowa and Arkansas.
Yuval and Mark are now focused on topping their engagement at their wedding! Many details of the special day are being kept top-secret. But, with the depth of their love, and the connection between their family and friends, their ceremony will no doubt be one the world will once again turn to for inspiration.
“Having the rights we do is something I do not take for granted. Being able to share our engagement with others, where a gay couple is doing what other couples can do, is a social statement in addition to an expression of love,” said Yuval.
You can follow the couple on Social Media at:
https://www.facebook.com/MarkAlanMcDermott
https://www.facebook.com/YuvalDavid/
Some places are tailor-made for celebration, and the Queen’s House in Greenwich is one of them. This architectural gem, part of Royal Museums Greenwich, is a space imbued with history, beauty and charm, making it an ideal venue to make one’s big day a dream come true.