He made her wish come true! Korey Felder wanted to pull off a magical, over-the-top proposal for his girlfriend, Erika Davis, so he started planning the special moment—from nearly 900 miles away. In an exclusive interview with The Knot, Felder recalls how he meticulously orchestrated his now-viral NYC proposal from Atlanta, Georgia.
“Rock Center was a case of the stars aligning,” says the event curator. “I decided that New York was the place because [the city] has a special place in her heart. She is in love with the city.”
Corey Felder proposal to Erika Davis in Rockefeller Center. (Credit: JSPhotography)
Felder’s god-sister lives in NYC and she encouraged him to look into the midtown landmark. “We spoke with a manager who said they have done something similar so it wouldn’t be a problem,” he recalls. “We only had to work out the timing and presentation. There wasn’t much hassle from the rink, but I had to build the proposal from the ground up. The biggest challenge was not being there until the day of to actually see it come to fruition. We had one try to get it right, and we nailed it.”
In a now-viral Instagram video from EllyB Events, Felder and Davis adorably stand on skates in the center of the famed rink, and share an intimate conversation—solo. Felder then motions towards the direction of the camera, and their loved ones greet the couple with confetti and cheers from above. A second video shows Felder dropping down to one knee–on ice, which isn’t easy!–and proposing to the love of his life.
A video posted by Eliana B. (@ellybevents) on
Naturally, the clip has circulated en masse after it was posted online this week. “I can’t even be modest, it’s overwhelming,” Felder says of the sudden deluge of attention. “But rewarding. She is happier than I’ve ever seen her, so I’m happy. People we haven’t heard from in years are finding out and calling and texting us. When I planned it, I never put this into the equation. It’s fun. We appreciate it.”
Felder and Davis, who works as a project manager for an ad agency, first met at a local restaurant in Atlanta–but it wasn’t exactly their first encounter.
“I noticed her some time before and hadn’t [mustered up] the courage to speak to her,” Felder recalls to The Knot. That fateful night, he had been hosting an event for Atlanta University and there she emerged. “I saw this event as my final opportunity, so I literally cut into a conversation she was having and asked to buy her a drink. That [resulted in] me taking her on a tour of the building and essentially pulling her away for a conversation. That conversation lasted five hours! The rest is history.”
Corey Felder proposal to Erika Davis in Rockefeller Center. (Credit: JSPhotography)
Corey Felder proposal to Erika Davis in Rockefeller Center. (Credit: JSPhotography)
It’s a good thing Felder was courageous enough to speak to Davis, because she’s since transformed his life. “She cares for people like no one I’ve met,” he reflects. “From her friends to her family. She is the glue. The positivity. She taught me to pray again.”
At his worst, Davis saw potential in Felder’s best. “She invested herself in my life… to get me back on track spiritually,” he shares. “It was a goal for her. Literally on her to-do list. I can’t repay or duplicate that type of investment.”
Watch the videos above.
