Leap year engagement for local couple

A BALLYMENA couple decided to take the plunge as Natasha Cole proposed to her partner of 13 years, Mark Woulahan at Todds Leap.

Given the unique name of Activity, Conference and Training Centre near Ballygawley, “Todds Leap” and the fact that 2012 is a Leap Year - when women traditionally can ask their partner to marry them rather than the other way around – Benny O’Hanlon, Managing Director, thought it would be exciting and adrenalin pumping to mark the occasion with a proposal on site: “We put a call out on facebook and twitter one afternoon and within a few hours Natsasha got in touch to say she’d be up for the Todds Leap Proposal.

“At Todds Leap, we put fun, adventure and adrenalin into life and we thought we’d like to mark the Leap Year by offering someone a package of activity in turn for them making their proposal to their partner on site.

“I know this has been a very nervous few weeks for Natasha and I’d like to offer her and Mark all the best for a long and happy future together. We are just delighted that they decided to start this new phase in their life here at Todds Leap.”

Speaking about why she decided to propose to Mark at Todds Leap, Natasha said:

“I saw the Leap Year offer on facebook and because we have been together 13 years and have two children together, I thought this would be the ideal opportunity to ask Mark to marry me. Also, we had both been down at Todds Leap before and really enjoyed the experience, so I told Mark to take the day off work that I had an early surprise for his 30th birthday.”

Asked was she nervous prior to the proposal, Natasha said: “It was very nerve-wracking and also because of the media interest because I know Mark is a very shy person, but we’ve been together so long now and we know each other so well, I was pretty confident that he’d say yes. I have to say I’m glad it’s all over now and I’m looking forward to planning the wedding!”

Commenting on the proposal the surprised fiancé, Mark said: “Natasha told me we were coming to Todds Leap for an early 30th birthday present and to take the day off work as she’d gotten a really good offer. I knew what date it was of course, but I never thought she had all this planned. We completed a few of the activities including the zip line and Off Road Driving and it was only when we came back to Benjamin’s and there was a lot of people standing around the Drop Zone and champagne on ice that I started to wonder what was going on.

“I’m really glad she asked me and I’m looking forward to marrying Nastasha and spending the rest of our lives together.”

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