Henry County couple’s proposal video goes viral
The happy couple, right after becoming engaged on May 7.
Within two days of posting a unique proposal video, Matt Still and Ginny Joiner of Henry County became Internet stars.
The 7-minute YouTube video, named “Greatest Marriage Proposal Ever,” was posted three days ago and has logged nearly 3 million hits.
“We were extremely shocked by it,” said Still, 30, of the viral hit. “We posted it just so our friends and family who couldn’t be in the audience could see it. It just spread.”
In the now-famous clip, Joiner is at a McDonough movie theater with her brother on May 7, unaware of what Still has planned. Instead of the previews you would expect, a clever video that Still created with his friend Michael Escobar rolls. The ending, of course, is a happy one, with Still bounding into the theater and Joiner accepting his proposal.
“He got me good,” said Joiner, 26. She now sports a custom-designed ring with a round center diamond encircled by smaller stones with a single ruby on the side to be worn closest to her heart.
The two have known each other for 15 years but haven’t been dating that long. Still, on their second date, they each knew the other was “the one.” After an elaborate dinner date featuring candles and rose petals Joiner said she felt like she was in a movie. No, Still countered, “we’re going to make the movies jealous.”
That tagline served as the title for his short but memorable clip.
We caught up with the couple Wednesday evening, after a busy day of interviews. He sells insurance and she works as a caregiver, but they were living the celebrity life for a day. They’ve made the media rounds here locally and also talked to radio stations in Detroit, Philadelphia and Canada. They taped a video interview via Skype with “The Today Show’s” web site.
“It’s insane,” Joiner said.
They don’t have a date for the wedding, but are expecting a full house.
“I have no clue what we’re going to do,” Joiner said. But knowing Still she knows they’ll make it a memorable event. “Everybody has these high expectations!”
- Jennifer Brett/The Buzz/jbrett@ajc.com
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56 comments Add your comment
Rich Black
May 18th, 2011
6:59 pm
No one cares.
Lynne
May 18th, 2011
7:05 pm
Obviously you did Rich.
Congrats to the happy couple.
Rich Black
May 18th, 2011
7:13 pm
Prove that I care if it’s so obvious.
NikkiFree
May 18th, 2011
7:21 pm
I loved it. Very creative. it took a lot of time and thought to come up with that. I wish the happy couple all the best.
k
May 18th, 2011
7:21 pm
Two cute!!!
k
May 18th, 2011
7:25 pm
@ Rich…because you keep commenting about the video!!! Move on!!!
Rich Black
May 18th, 2011
7:26 pm
You can’t prove it. You move on.
Richard Stabs
May 18th, 2011
7:33 pm
not a very original idea. there are 10 of these movie proposals on youtube.
Rich Black
May 18th, 2011
7:36 pm
Honestly, she didn’t look very excited. Also some videos go viral out of curiosity, not because they are good.
Schwarzenegger
May 18th, 2011
8:20 pm
The lady will probably have an affair with a large foreign man and have a couple of love children. This movie has a saaaad ending. I’ll be back!!!
Miss Helen Highwater
May 18th, 2011
8:29 pm
Rich Black, you obviously cared enough to watch the whole video, so shut up and stop trying to bring the tone down to your pathetic level.
Dave
May 18th, 2011
9:12 pm
No big deal, Rich … don’t beat yourself up too bad. The simple fact is most of us suffer from the same trouble.
RJ and Susan
May 18th, 2011
9:25 pm
Way to go MATT..Wishing you and Ginny the BEST.
Peach
May 18th, 2011
9:29 pm
Rich Black is probably some fat nasty thing who can’t get out of bed and still lives with his momma. Ignore the troll. It’s a wonderful story. I wish them the very best. Go to sleep Rich!
jeffrey d
May 18th, 2011
9:40 pm
I don’t know if this is legit. How did she not notice a camera in her face?
Allison
May 18th, 2011
9:49 pm
@ jeffrey d, it is LEGIT!!!! Have you ever heard of a HIDDEN camera???
Debz
May 18th, 2011
10:49 pm
Very Romantic…You both are very lucky to have each other…..Have an awesome wedding and an even better marriage <3
Mary
May 18th, 2011
10:53 pm
Rich:
Will you Marry me?
Joe Mama
May 18th, 2011
11:56 pm
Very very clever! and well produced. Perfectly timed and from the heart. This guys gonna be Rich in 6 months, and Rich will be, um still an A-hole.
Nadia
May 19th, 2011
1:07 am
MAJOR, MAJOR props to this dude, extremely sweet and clever way to propose
Margo
May 19th, 2011
2:09 am
Congrats to you and Ginny! If only my husband had such an original idea. Ignore the haters, and enjoy your life together as your heart is in the right place, Matt!
mary
May 19th, 2011
2:10 am
who cares.
underwsr
May 19th, 2011
2:39 am
Too cute! Loved it! I wish someone loved me enough to go through all of that trouble! That really makes a woman feel special. Congrats to the couple and may GOD bless them always.
Anne
May 19th, 2011
7:56 am
Congratulations to the both of you. That was ingenious and creative. Just wonderful and romantic!
carla roqs
May 19th, 2011
8:00 am
no mary, no! i want rich!
wpww
May 19th, 2011
8:00 am
Rich, Richard,and Mary…Yall are A holes!!!
FCM
May 19th, 2011
8:09 am
Matt—there are men out there upset with you for that romantic streak. Now the ladies are going to expect them to be creative, thoughtful, and romantic when they decide to the jump! Ginny–glad you found a “keeper”.
Many blessings on your upcoming union.
Wendy
May 19th, 2011
8:15 am
Her face when the movie first started was priceless!!! That totally made me cry. What a sweet boy!
Ron Jackson
May 19th, 2011
8:16 am
Very good and entertaining. Also very clever way it was put together.
bailey
May 19th, 2011
8:23 am
Rich you are a duch! If you didn’t care you wouldn’t have read the article or watch the utube!
It was great!
Uncle Ruckus
May 19th, 2011
8:27 am
Rich Black you’re the man!! Matt I got two words for you “prenuptial agreement”.
barry
May 19th, 2011
8:28 am
divorced within 6 years
Vanessa
May 19th, 2011
8:29 am
I thought it was sweet, and very unique! Congrats to them.
William
May 19th, 2011
8:40 am
WOW was that stupid. I had to keep skipping parts just to get to the end.
itamazesme
May 19th, 2011
8:46 am
Congratulations to the lovebirds – make your haters your motivators!!
pmuckle
May 19th, 2011
9:00 am
good for them!
GStateBen
May 19th, 2011
9:01 am
Check out my man Matt’s website: http://www.mattandginny.com/
Nick
May 19th, 2011
9:28 am
Everyone quit getting Rich in a tizzy….Every time he comments he is wasting his Mom’s prepaid internet minutes.
Jennifer Brett
May 19th, 2011
9:35 am
Dear Ben,
Thanks for sharing that link.
Everyone, please be nice. Matt and Ginny are a delightful young couple and they were a joy to talk to. Best wishes to them!
Jennifer
Ted Striker
May 19th, 2011
10:10 am
Wow, these people are starved for attention…..Remember, once a cheater always a cheater….
Light
May 19th, 2011
10:15 am
How very sweet!!! He is adorable and she is very blessed to have someone that loves her that much to go to such extremes. I wish them wedded bliss and a life of peace, joy, and unconditional love.
Starla
May 19th, 2011
10:30 am
See, this is what I am talking about….
Bill
May 19th, 2011
10:33 am
Rich,
Your negativity is very sad and says a lot about you as a human being. I hope you can at some point find inner peace and the ability to see the beauty in others actions.
Montinod
May 19th, 2011
11:02 am
@ Bill: Agreed; certainly can’t please everyone.
Great video. Good luck to the couple!
Who Knows Too Much
May 19th, 2011
11:41 am
Sounds like Who Knows is a jealous ex-boyfriend/girlfriend to one of these two folks. Sometimes you just have to let the past go and move on. Your anger and bitterness doesn’t hurt this young couple it only hurts you.
who cares?!
May 19th, 2011
11:46 am
and now the San Francisco remake of “Phantom of the Opera” Both the Phantom and Ms. Diaz are chasing after the guy! hahahaha
lkjlkj
May 19th, 2011
11:48 am
impressive! Good luck to both of you.
jc
May 19th, 2011
11:49 am
The video was sweet and original. Good luck to the happy couple.
meyoushe
May 19th, 2011
11:56 am
A-W-E-S-0-M-E-!
Who Knows
May 19th, 2011
12:47 pm
I agree more to the story…..there’s always a little truth behind “if you only knew the real people behind the camera!” The truth always spreads faster in small towns….especially when you’re so involved with that small town!
Gina
May 19th, 2011
1:00 pm
I’m jealous. I had asked my husband to marry me, he shrugged his shoulders and went along with the plan. I think he regrets it….Lol
Pumpkin
May 19th, 2011
1:02 pm
Ok, I can’t believe the number of negative comments. Why??? It’s so sad that so many people are so jealously of others happiness. I loved it!!! Many many years of happiness to the two of them.
Jennifer Brett
May 19th, 2011
4:41 pm
Pumpkin:
Some people are just good at turning lemonade into lemons.
Jennifer
gsmith
May 19th, 2011
4:58 pm
clayton and henry county is the armpit of the state. its amazing that you can drive 30 minutes south of the city and be in such a backwards part of the world the mixture of people make it a modern day bizzaro world
Ackshun
May 19th, 2011
5:46 pm
MATT YOUR ARE THE MAN!!!!
They will be alot of guys cursing your name cause that bar just got set a bit higher. But let them haters hate man. When you love a woman you go all out! Thanks for reminding use of that!
Jennifer Brett
May 20th, 2011
12:28 pm
Goodbye “Rich.” A number of your offensive posts have been removed and you are banned from commenting on this blog again.
Jennifer