Photo: Christian and Aidan
As far as proposals go, popping the big question abroad is always a good choice. And with thousands of travellers being taken all over the world, Contiki has certainly seen its fair share of love stories and proposals. But this story between Christian and Aidan really is the icing on the wedding cake.
Think of that one adorable episode of Modern Family with Mitch and Cam, but make it 10x cuter! During their European trip in the summer, not one but BOTH Christian and Aidan got down on one knee with a ring. This wasn’t planned, but this totally happy and magical accident quickly became a highlight of their holiday, but also everyone around them.
We recently spoke with Christian and Aidan to hear from them how this gorgeous double proposal went down and what it meant to them both.
Hello Christian and Aidan! Could you tell me why you wanted to propose while travelling? Did the specific destination mean anything to you?
For both Christian and Aidan, the reason was simple: “[We] wanted to propose while travelling because travelling is one of our favourite things to do together.” Christian continues on to say “We like to travel and have been to so many cities and so many more to go. The specific city was not planned, but I knew I wanted to propose somewhere near water.”
“Italy has a special place in my heart because our first date was in Venice, California” says Aidan, “and I originally wanted to propose in Venice, Italy – it would have been a full circle moment.”
Ultimately, however, Aidan and Christian proposed and got engaged in Cinque Terre! “Hanna, our Trip Manager, gave some suggestions for beautiful places to propose and I just fell in love with Cinque Terre,” adds Christian. “I researched it and thought it was perfect, and sunset was the perfect time too.”
Image source:Christian and Aidan
Image source:Christian and Aidan
Image source:Christian and Aidan
How long were each of you planning to propose for?
“I knew I wanted to propose since August in 2024,” says Aidan, whereas for Christian knew he wanted to propose for a while, but wasn’t sure when. “It was right after Aidan’s birthday in October that I knew I wanted to have a memorable proposal, and our Europe trip was still months away, so that gave me time to plan.”
“This was our second Contiki trip,” Christian says, “so we knew what to expect in regards to making friends and having a Trip Manager. I thought it would be really sweet to get close to new people first and then propose and feel all the love and have people to celebrate with us.”
Did you have any clue that the other was going to propose? Were you nervous?
“I honestly had no clue Aidan was going to propose,” Christian says, which Aidan echoes: “I had no idea up until five minutes before the proposal. We were both in the dark.”
Unsurprisingly, both Aidan and Christian were very nervous in the lead up beforehand. “I just kept thinking ‘Okay, in a couple of hours, you’re going to propose’” says Christian.
How did it feel when you found out you both had the same idea?
“I was just so happy – great minds think alike!” says Aidan, and Christian continues to say, “the feeling is hard to describe. After we both found out that Hanna [Trip Manager] was hiding both proposals from each other, and helping Aidan plan his at the same time as mine, it truly felt like it was meant to be.”
“How crazy that we both wanted to propose at the same exact time, in the same exact place. It’s something that people only witness on TV or movies. It truly feels like we are both on the same frequency with each other.”
Image source:Christian and Aidan
What does travel mean to you both? Has it brought you closer together as a couple?
“It means a lot to us,” says Christian. “Just two months into dating we did a little weekend getaway to Santa Barbara and then 3 months later we traveled to Hawaii. Since then we’ve been to Mexico, Europe twice, we’ve been to like 6 different states in America. It for sure has brought us closer as a couple.”
Aidan adds that “we both love to travel. We get to try new foods, explore new places, and make new friends that turn into family – all by each other’s side.”
How did your Trip Manager, Hanna help you plan and make the moment extra special?
“Hanna was amazing and super helpful from the moment I told her about my plan,” says Aidan. “I liked how she coordinated a double proposal to make it even more special, and she helped us find the perfect location and even helped to provide our favourite drink and some roses and chocolates for our room.”
“As a Trip Manager, Hanna has so much charisma and character, I loved her so much,” says Christian. “Since she was the expert on the trip, I asked for her input when I wanted ideas on where to propose. Later on, she sent me a long list of like 6 options. Very detailed and thought out. She really went above and beyond.”
