All’s fair in love and war, including the use of billboards to woo a prospective mate. In the case of Sara and Dan, the very public proposal proved a successful strategy.

Dan Murphy, the man who proposed, says Sara said yes.

“I am glad that our billboard has stirred so much interest! Sara and I have often talked about adding a section to the billboard that says, “She said yes!” Honestly we did not think so many people would take an interest in us.”

The wedding is scheduled for February 2010.

“He proposed to her in front of the billboard, in the rain,” says Mark Russell, general manager of North Carolina division of NextMedia Outdoor, which has billboards throughout the region.

The message went up on the billboard in early August.

“We probably get two or three (billboard) requests for a proposal a year. We do get quite a few requests from military spouses or significant others for when they are returning from overseas, just to welcome them back,” Russell says.

Proposals generally remain up on billboards for four weeks. It costs about $700 to have the vinyl installed on the billboard, Russell says.

“We just do it for the cost to produce the vinyl and the cost to install it. It’s kind of a feel-good thing,” Russell says. “You would think if they’re going to invest that kind of money, the odds are in their favor.”

Date posted: November 3, 2009

User-contributed question by:
Chip Jackson