Love under the Northern Lights - Off the Map Travel

Love was in the air last season as Northern Lights travel specialists, Off the Map Travel, played their part in three couple’s plans to pop the big question including Manchester’s Clare Footitt and Oliver Totty.

Clare and Oliver have always dreamt of seeing the Northern Lights and when it came to popping the question, it was a perfect fit for the ultimate proposal plan.

Having booked a Northern Lights Arctic adventure with Off the Map Travel, Clare and Oliver made the journey to northern Sweden, with Clare still unaware of the surprise that lay ahead. After a night at the original Ice Hotel, the couple then headed further into the Arctic wilderness to the world famous Aurora spotting region of Bjorkliden and Abisko.

Still with the ring burning a hole in his pocket, Oliver bided his time until they had a crystal clear night for Aurora spotting. Having had a few overcast nights, they were both desperate to experience the Northern Lights as they took a trip to the Aurora Sky Station deep in the arctic mountains around Abisko.

As they sat admiring the star packed night sky, the Aurora performed. It was not until after the display that Oliver popped the question. Clare explained: “We have always dreamed of seeing the Northern Lights, but the addition of the proposal came as a wonderful surprise. As the amazing Northern Lights display started to die down, I turned to Oliver who brought out the ring from his Arctic thermal cloths and asked the big question.

“It was amazing, especially as we are not known as the most romantic couple. He really did pull out all the stops to make it special. Combining the Northern Lights with getting engaged has left us with perfect memories from our Arctic adventure to Bjorkliden.”

Happily Clare said yes and the couple are setting a date for their big day.

There must have been something in the Arctic air last week as it was not only Oliver who dropped to bended knee. The Aurora was having a romantic effect on Weijern Lim and his, now, fiancée, Charlotte Kwan from Hong Kong who also proposed under the lights. It is tradition in Hong Kong to propose with 108 red roses, and this was a tradition he wasn’t going to miss with the flowers especially organised for the occasion, no mean feat deep the Arctic Circle.

Katie Watson, co-founder of the UK’s leading Northern Lights travel specialists, Off the Map Travel, said: “It was great to help make these brilliant proposals a possibility. We love making every trip special for all of our guests and finding a huge bunch of red roses and keeping them pristine when temperatures are minus 20 and below, was quite a challenge, but it turned out perfectly in the end.”

As if romance wasn’t flowing enough, a third couple from Brisbane in Australia also celebrated their engagement to complete Off the Map Travel’s most romantic season ever.

For more information on Northern Lights experiences contact us at any time to chat to our experts.