Cape man publishes marriage proposal

Two Cape Girardeau residents have agreed to tie the knot thanks to a classified ad in the Southeast Missourian.

Michael "Tony" Bryant said he thought it would be romantic to propose to his girlfriend, Mariah Burlison, with a classified ad that ran in Thursday's paper.

"I was just looking for something unique that stood out," Bryant said Friday.

The surprise proposal came at the end of a scavenger hunt he sent Burlison on, he said.

Burlison's journey took her to the couple's favorite Cape Girardeau hangouts, starting at a local miniature golf course, where the couple had their first date. From there she went to the restaurant where she had her first lunch date with Bryant, followed by a trip to an Italian restaurant where he asked her to go on a vacation to Italy next month, he said.

Her last stop was to a restaurant whose cheesecake Burlison really likes. There, she was led to a table with a bouquet of roses and a copy of the Southeast Missourian. Bryant said he came out from around the corner, showed her the advertisement and got down on bended knee and asked her to marry him.

"I was surprised with it," Burlison said. "I had an idea that's what was going on, but I wasn't for sure. I flipped out over the ad. It was very good."

The couple are planning a small wedding in Italy in March, Bryant said.

Burlison said a mutual friend introduced her to Bryant eight months ago and that it was love at first sight.

Burlison is a pediatric nurse at Saint Francis Medical Center. Bryant is a physician assistant at Brain & Neurospine Clinic.

carel@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127