TLC's monster hit 90 Day Fiancé and its sea of spinoffs have enriched viewers with an extensive library of love stories over the years. Some short, others epic, the franchise is as much of an examination of intent as it is a chronicling of the lengths people will go to find companionship.
Though the marital track record of the franchise sits well below the Mendoza Line, the show's lack of matrimonial permanence does anything but detract from the cast's romantic efforts. From a fruitful surprise in the sands of the Sahara desert to an engagement ring wrapped in an American flag embedded in cleavage, 90 Day Fiancé has a plethora of proposals from which to either take inspiration or to avoid at all costs.
Usman & Lisa
Fresh from the bathroom, "Babygirl" Lisa Hamme remerges to find her groom-to-be, Usman "Sojaboy" Umar, down on one knee. From "Usman, I cannot find no damn brush in here" to Hamme being speechless for the first and only time in her tenure, Usman's act of commitment came all of 24 hours before their wedding.
Few 90 Day couples had less in common than Hamme and Umar. The duration of their time in Nigeria was spent sifting through arguments and accusations. With their wedding date set in advance and no engagement ring to speak of, Usman bows to Hamme's demands and pops the question. A concession and a formality, Hamme got her ring and Sojaboy finally found some peace and quiet.
Gino & Jasmine
Gino Palazzolo and Jasmine Pineda's season 5 stint on Before The 90 Days held few reprieves from drama. The Michigan hat enthusiast and the Panamanian beauty fought almost incessantly, covering everything from restaurant small talk to Palazzolo's braggadocious (and illegal) sending of Pineda's topless photos to his ex. Despite numerous missteps, Palazzolo does manage a successful proposal.
Armed with a fedora and a $270 engagement ring, Gino takes Jasmine to the overlook of their San José island resort and asks the ultimate question. As precisely no rain touches Gino's head while Jasmine and her black and pink split dress are soaked in the scenic downpour, Gino's romantic gesture is rewarded with a teary-eyed, "Gino, of course." To quote Pineda, " I know we're toxic, maybe sometimes, but we're in love."
Steven & Alina
Steven Johnston's 90 Day tenancy was mired in religious hypocrisy. Johnston relentlessly pushed his religion on 20-year-old Alina Shaimardanova while cherry-picking which commandments he chose to follow. Despite functioning as a Morman missionary, Johnston admits to a shocking number of sexual partners after claiming he was a virgin to disarm Alina and refuses to share a bed with her because of his uncontrollable urges.
Red flags notwithstanding, Johnston successfully swoons Alina into an engagement by performing a disarmingly sweet composition for her while on a boat overlooking a Turkish waterfall. His act and ask of commitment would be so much sweeter if he wasn't so manipulative.
Ricky & Ximena
In the game of love, Columbus, Ohio's Ricky Reyes writes his own rules. Flying to Columbia to meet/propose to his online girlfriend, Melissa, Reyes' plan swiftly falls apart as she isn't quite as keen on him in real life. Hedging his bets, Reyes was also in a relationship with another Columbian woman, Ximena Parra, and spent the rest of his trip with her.
With the couple out on the water sharing a romantic lunch, Reyes takes to one knee, unzips his fanny pack, and proposes to Ximena with the engagement ring he bought for Melissa. Maybe it was the elevation or the enchantment of the teal blue water snaking around their resort, but Ximena accepts the proposal and overlooks Ricky's brazen duplicity.
Jihoon & Deavan
From the top of the Strat Hotel, Jihoon Lee could see most of Las Vegas and a forthcoming "I do." As then-pregnant girlfriend Deavan Clegg gets up to go to the bathroom, Jihoon hands an engagement ring to their server and asks her to place it in a champagne glass filled with ginger ale so the couple could share a surprise toast.
The proposal that follows is sweet and clumsy in a way that would make Clark Griswold smile. "Baby, what's this?" Deavan asks. With the submerged ring just out of finger reach, Deavan goes to get a fork to fetch it out, knocks a glass of water over upon her return, and Jihooon chugs his way to her ring. "I'm sorry, I'm messed up propose," Jihoon says, before knocking over another glass. "I think it was perfect," Deaven said.
Biniyam & Ariela
Ariela Weinberg and Biniyam Shibre's engagement day was chaotic. With Bini, Ari, and baby Avi amid the masses celebrating the Ethiopian holiday of Timket, Ari's overstimulation and concern over her baby's well-being got to her. "What's wrong with you? You want to ruin my day?" Bini asks, before taking Ari to his brother's place to calm down.
Returning to the festivities by himself, Bini is later surprised by Ari, sans baby Avi, professing her love and support. Touched, Biniyam diverts Ari's attention and pulls out a green lemon with an engagement ring inside. Honoring the local/Timket tradition of expressing romantic intent by way of lemon, Bini's citrusy sweet gesture was undeniably romantic and rewarded with an "oh my God. Yes, I will marry you."
Kenny & Armando
On a rainy evening at the Las Rocas Resort & Spa, Kenny Niedermeier takes an understandably curious Armando Rubio past the restaurant and down onto the rocky beach. In formal attire, with the waves crashing around them, Kenny asks, "Do you remember the first time we came here and you said, about our future, it's as wide as the ocean?"
With his hands over his mouth and tears in his eyes, Armando joyously accepts Kenny's proposal and turns around to a gallery of supporters setting off confetti cannons and cheering them on. Their moment is objectively moving and one of the purest representations of love and commitment throughout the franchise.
Zied & Rebecca
Zied Hakimi and Rebecca Parrott spent their final Tunisian nights together in the Sahara desert. Zied's intent wasn't just to take Rebecca to "Hotel Arabic," but to ask for her hand in marriage. With jealousy, a lingering divorce, and a questionable request for money looming over their relationship, the couple's concerns would soon melt away like a candy bar on a dashboard.
Surrounded by a sea of sand, Zied arranged for a table of treats for the couple to enjoy into the night. Hidden in a terracotta container filled with chocolates was an engagement ring. After telling Rebecca that he had asked for money beforehand to be able to buy her a nice ring, he admits that (via family help) he didn't use any of it. Rebecca lovingly builds him up with, "Baby, I have never seen a more beautiful ring."
David & Annie
Fan favorites David Toborowsky and Annie Suwan's engagement was an event. Traveling to Suwan's native Thailand, David had to procure a pair of water buffaloes, provide a dowry, and literally pay his way into Suwan's parent's home to be granted their blessing.
Toborowsky's savings, "IOUs," and commitment paid off, as he was granted Suwan's hand and led an engagement celebration through the streets of her village like he was the grand marshall of his own parade. Filled with dancing and communal jubilation, David and Annie's ceremony was a grandiose and vibrant encapsulation of Taiwanese culture.
Angela & Michael
There are many words to describe Angela Deem, none of which are "subtle." Her relationship with Michael Ilesanmi is essentially a one-way onslaught of vulgarities and threats with the occasional chesty reprieve. Despite every reason not to, the couple gets engaged in the most Angela way imaginable.
Digging a damp miniature American flag out from between her breasts, Angela presents Ilesanmi with an opportunity. "That's an American flag, Michael. It means you're going to America," she says, alluding to the engagement ring she's hidden in Old Glory. Not to be outdone, Michael then proposes to Angela with a ring of his own, capping off the most unlikely and unforgettable proposal in 90 Day history.