Man proposes to his girlfriend in middle of Jorvik Viking Festival

15 Feb 2015 @ 9.41 pm
| History
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Jonathan Alderson drops to one knee to propose to Samantha Simpson at the Viking Wedding Feast

It was the Viking Wedding Feast on St Valentine’s Day – so what more romantic moment to pop the question?

In the middle of the Jorvik Viking Festival celebration, Jonathan Alderson dropped down on one knee, produced a ring and asked girlfriend Samantha Simpson to marry him.

Once she had got over the surprise Samantha said yes – to rapturous cheers from the others at the party.

The Viking Wedding Feast is a raucous evening of entertainment, music and food at Merchant Taylors’ Hall in York.

It reenacts a love affair bringing together two warring families. And the feast also celebrates the end of the first day of the week long Viking Festival.

Jonathan’s proposal – after he had won a Viking trial of strength – added extra joy to the evening, said festival director Danielle Daglan.

Weddings are always emotional occasions, but Jonathan had tipped us off about his intentions, so we were able to weave him into the evening’s entertainment so that the proposal remained a complete surprise.

That will certainly be one moment in their lives that Jonathan and Samantha will never forget, and who knows, they may well enjoy a Viking wedding of their own!

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Viking interpreters from Jorvik Viking Centre join the celebrations
The Viking Festival runs until Sunday, February 22. Events take place each day, culminating in the grand finale on the evening of Saturday, February 21, when over 200 warriors will do battle on the Eye of York in a fiery extravaganza representing the Norse myth of the first battle of the Gods.

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