IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts And Zale Corporation Help Contest Winner Surprise Girlfriend With "The Most Epic Proposal Ever"

PALMA DE MALLORCA, Spain, Aug. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts and Zale Corporation (NYSE:ZLC) recently teamed up to help the winner of their "The Most Epic Proposal Ever" contest pop the question in a spectacle of truly epic proportions valued at over $65,000 USD.  Following a search across America for the most over-the-top, elaborate proposal idea, IBEROSTAR and Zale selected winner John Noojin of Lincoln, Nebraska for his heartwarming love story about girlfriend Kylie Hauer and his creative plan to propose at the opulent IBEROSTAR Grand Hotel Paraiso in Riviera Maya, Mexico.

As the grand prize winner of "The Most Epic Proposal Ever," John received help from IBEROSTAR and Zale to turn his dream proposal into a reality, enlisting hotel employees, dancers, musicians and sand sculptors to plan the big event. The prize package also included a stunning Celebration Fire™ diamond engagement ring, wedding bands and a 5-day / 4-night trip to the luxurious, adults-only IBEROSTAR Grand Hotel Paraiso all-inclusive resort. A video of this awe-inspiring proposal can be viewed at www.youtube.com/zales.  

Pulling off "The Most Epic Proposal Ever" took an enormous amount of preparation and manpower, requiring three months of planning and construction of a 10-foot-tall sand castle that took eight days and close to 6,620 pounds of sand to build. To keep the gargantuan castle from crumbling, the sculptors took turns spraying it with water every 30-minutes, 24 hours per day for all eight days. More than 50 IBEROSTAR hotel employees were involved in all of the planning and execution as well. Little did Kylie know while she and John had been enjoying the hotel's tranquil spa and relaxing in the saltwater lake pool, there was a frenzy of activity happening behind the scenes to stage his proposal. 

The big surprise happened on the resort's pristine, white sand beach with the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea as a backdrop. It began when an unsuspecting Kylie and a nervous John joined all of the other hotel guests on the beach for the reveal of the giant sandcastle, built as a monument to the love that she and John share. The next surprise was equally epic – an exhilarating performance by 30 dancers dressed in traditional Mayan and tropical costumes.  When the dancers parted, John dropped to one knee in front of the large crowd and showed Kylie her dazzling Celebration Fire Diamond™ – the most brilliant diamond in the world. The combination of being whisked away to such an exquisite, five-star resort and the spectacle of the engagement had completely overwhelmed her. A bit in shock and overcome with joy, Kylie said yes!

"At IBEROSTAR, we go above and beyond for guests having their wedding or honeymoon at our resorts, but we've never done anything on this scale before," said John Long, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for IBEROSTAR.  We forged a great partnership with Zale, who are also experts in romance, to help make this proposal a reality."

"We couldn't be happier for John and Kylie. At Zale, we want to Let Love Shine and this was a great way to do it. The collaboration with IBEROSTAR made it a spectacular event," said Scott Davies, Vice President of Marketing for Zale Corporation.

IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts and Zale launched "The Most Epic Proposal Ever" contest in February 2013, asking people to submit videos detailing how they would stage the most elaborate, over-the-top, creative and romantic marriage proposal at an IBEROSTAR resort in paradise. The contest was inspired by the growing trend of elaborate marriage proposal videos going viral on the Internet.

The IBEROSTAR Grand Paraiso Hotel is a five-star, adults-only, all-inclusive resort located on a serene beach in Riviera Maya, Mexico.  A romantic haven for couples, the all-suite hotel offers coveted amenities including 24-hour personalized butler service and concierge service, 24-hour gourmet room service, four specialty restaurants, a full-service spa, 18-hole championship golf course, several swimming pools and all-inclusive wedding packages.

The Celebration Diamond Collection™ is available online and in select Zales Jewelers, Zales Outlet and Gordon's Jewelers in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, as well as in select Peoples Jewellers and Mappins Jewellers in Canada.  Every Zale Celebration diamond is cut to exacting standards to maximize brilliance and beauty.

About IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts

IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts is a family-owned Spanish hospitality company with more than 50 years of experience in the travel industry. IBEROSTAR provides unique vacation experiences, rooted in superior customer service and quality, in the world's most popular vacation destinations. With more than 100 hotels in 16 countries, IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts is committed to offering excellence in quality and service and providing personal attention to each guest.  For more information, please visit www.iberostar.com.

About Zale Corporation

Zale Corporation is a leading specialty retailer of diamonds and other jewelry products in North America, operating approximately 1710 retail locations throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as online. Zale Corporation's brands include Zales Jewelers, Zales Outlet, Gordon's Jewelers, Peoples Jewellers, Mappins Jewellers and Piercing Pagoda.

Zale also operates online at www.zales.com, www.zalesoutlet.com, www.gordonsjewelers.com, www.peoplesjewellers.com  and www.pagoda.com. Additional information on Zale Corporation and its brands is available at www.zalecorp.com.

Related Links
To view the winning proposal online
IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts
Zale Corporation

Video with caption: "IBEROSTAR HOTELS & RESORTS AND ZALE CORPORATION HELP CONTEST WINNER SURPRISE GIRLFRIEND WITH "THE MOST EPIC PROPOSAL EVER." Video available at: http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/FX-NY70417-20130827-1.mp4

Image with caption: "IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts." Image available at: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130827/NY70417-a

Image with caption: "Zale Corporation." Image available at: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130827/NY70417-b

SOURCE IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts; Zale Corporation