A tech proposal

Technology and rugby league have made for some horrendous headlines this off-season. It’s a raw and unsavoury subject and I’m glad the game’s administrators are addressing it. But I wanted to share with you my love of all things tech.

I talk a lot about drones, which I often use in the preparation of vlogs on my website. I actually used one to capture my marriage proposal to Jess.

It was back in October, 2017. We were on an outing at our favourite Queenstown vineyard, The Amisfield Winery. While Jess was eating her lunch, I slipped out and asked the manager for permission to fly my drone over the estate and get some aerial footage.

I obviously didn’t tell him the exact reason why … he might have come up to our table and spoiled my surprise!

The manager initially said, ‘No,’ but then motioned towards a little gate out the back where I might be able to fly the drone without causing any fuss to the other patrons.

I have only been in Townsville for a few weeks now but it’s obvious rugby league is a religion in these parts. You can see it in the way the city has responded to the floods.

When we got outside, I told Jess we were going to be a bit sneaky and send the drone up without management knowing.

I strategically placed two cameras at either end of the walking track between rows of vines and told Jess we should go for a short walk and get some footage of, ‘Our day at the vineyard.’

We had done some filming of the area a bit earlier and she was none the wiser. Up went the drone and I had programmed it to hover at a spot right in the middle of the track and above the two ground cameras.

When we arrived on the spot, I got down on bended knee, produced the ring and asked her to marry me. She said, ‘Yes,’ and gave me a huge hug. It was one of the happiest days of our young lives. The footage turned out great and it’s there for all to see on my website.

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11 YEARS, 2 beautiful kids and numerous ups and downs later we still here. Thanks for making me the luckiest man for what seems a lifetime. Happy Anniversary @jesskent_91 I love you! ?? #jflay23

A post shared by Jordan Kahu (@jordan.kahu) on Jan 13, 2019 at 5:19pm PST

There’s a bit of a crazy story attached to the backing music on that special vlog. The background song, ‘Rainbow’, is sung by Louis Baker, a really talented guy I met at school when I was growing up in Wellington. I have followed his music career, he’s got a very bright future.

Just before I proposed, Jess and I were sitting down at lunch and Louis walked past our table. I was stunned. I hadn’t seen him for 10 or so years, not since school. It was amazing coincidence meeting up with him, there and then, on what was to be a very special day.

On the way home in the car, I played some of his music. We fell in love with ‘Rainbow’. It seemed just perfect for my proposal vlog. I told Louis about it and he was thrilled. I asked if he’d like to come to our upcoming wedding and sing it for us and our guests.

He promised to be there in good voice with his guitar.