Minnesota may be cold, but there is plenty of love going around this week to keep us feeling warm and fuzzy. St. Paul was recently named the most romantic getaway in North America, and Jon Learn and Kim Magnuson are a prime example of love flourishing in our capital city.
The couple met, fittingly, at a wedding, where he was serving as best man, and she the maid-of-honor. After dating for two years, Jon decided it was time to pop the question. But he wanted to make sure the proposal was memorable, so he secretly planned a public proposal for Jan. 31, 2014 at Wells Fargo WinterSkate in St. Paul.
It was the first public proposal in St. Paul since the city was named the most romantic getaway by USA Today, and to ensure everything went according to plan, Jon enlisted the help of Kim’s best friend Lindsay—who, along with her husband, crafted a “Marry Me?” poster for the occasion—and Jon’s son Aeson.
“Aeson is just learning how to skate, and it was actually the first time he skated on his own without support,” Jon says. “It was perfect timing because as this was happening, [the staff] from WinterSkate held up the ‘Marry Me?’ sign.”
Kim was completely surprised. “In the moment, I was really just in shock,” she says. “I guess I felt a little silly since it took so long for me to figure out what was going on, but I was extremely excited and happy. I didn’t expect it that day, but I knew I was going to marry Jon a long time ago, so it just felt right once it sank in.”
Jon and Kim have always loved St. Paul for its big city offerings, yet small town atmosphere—one of the reasons Jon chose to propose there—but now, it holds an even deeper meaning for the couple. Says Kim, “It’s a special connection to have with a city we love to spend time in.”