#SayYesKatie! A Marriage Proposal Via Buzzfeed

It used to be 'will you marry me?'  Now it's 'will you marry' memes. Lots of them. In fact, an entire cyber community working together to urge the lady to say 'yes'.

Katie Holland is a geek. Her world largely revolves around the internet. When there are important questions to pop to her, then on-line is the best place to leave them. Like, for example, the life-changing one that her boyfriend, Len Kendall, was about to ask.

The sheer logistics of this marriage proposal are mind-boggling. Len, a community contributor on Buzzfeed, had to mobilize over 200 forum members without his girlfriend finding out. All of this on a website which they both frequent.

However, the day came and Katie was miraculously none the wiser. The whole forum had managed not to let a hint of the plan slip, until it kicked into action. #SayYesKatie had begun!

On February 29th 2012, Katie was at work. But since when has that ever stopped anyone from checking Twitter? At least she had the perfect excuse. She works in the Social Media Department, for McDonald's in Chicago.

Katie couldn't help but notice a certain hashtag trending worldwide. #SayYesKatie was cropping up all over the place. She didn't naturally think that it was anything to do with her, as you wouldn't, would you? There are a lot of people called Katie on the internet.

Then she clicked one of the many links. She saw what it was all about and she burst into tears.

Even the Buzzfeed administrators played their part in this proposal. It had more than made it onto the front page. They had added a banner across the top of it, directing all comers onto Len's profile. Once there, Katie could view the meme.

Moreover, there were image comments. Everyone there had advance warning, so the #SayYesKatie memes were all prepared and ready to post.

It took a mere five minutes between the marriage proposal being published and Katie finding it. In that time hundreds of internet memes had been added to the thread. They were all, in their own unique ways, encouraging her to say 'yes'.

More were arriving all the time. Katie could actually watch hurriedly created additions being uploaded. The whole thing went viral within minutes!

There was even an Editor's Note, which read: [Ed. note: Len is proposing to his longtime girlfriend Katie right here and now. Help him out by leaving an image in the comments persuading her to say yes and making Len the happiest man in the whole internets! We'll update this post as soon as she responds. OMG!!!]

It appeared that the whole of Buzzfeed was waiting on tenterhooks for her response.

After spending the morning flicking through an avalanche of #SayYesKatie memes, Katie was able to meet up with her boyfriend. He hadn't been answering his 'phone during all of that time!

Everything now became much more traditional. Len went down on one knee in person and popped the question. She could hardly have not known that it was coming!

Of course, the internet had to wait until the couple had nipped home, because he did want to do this right. He asked her father for his blessing on the union too. Only after all of the real life formalities were over, did Len return to Buzzfeed to let everyone know the answer.

And how better to convey that news, but with another meme?

This was now a big news story, with everyone from the Huffington Post to local news channels covering it.

The couple took a suite, at Chicago's Peninsula Hotel, to answer press queries. Then they hid away for some private time, presumably not with the internet watching!

If you're reading, Len and Katie, congratulations on your forthcoming marriage from all at Wizzley!

(And Len, u can haz 10 internetz 4 that. U asked her LIKE A BOSS. 'Spect Man.)