A flying proposal message towed by a Tiger Moth has topped off an extra special birthday for Karitane resident Debbie Smythe.
After being with partner Craig Mitchell (48) for eight years, Ms Smythe (43) had all but given up on a marriage proposal, but when she looked up into the sky and saw the ''Deb Marry Me'' towed behind a plane about 10.30am yesterday she said ''Yes''.
''Someone [their daughter Rosie] said `Well, what do you say?' and I was like `I guess I better say yes'.''
The form of the proposal was a ''jaw-dropping big surprise'', but she sensed something was up earlier in the morning.
''I knew something was up when [friend] Brownie and Craig got up on the roof and put that [big X] on the roof.''
The pair have a long history, having been together for four years from when she was aged about 18, before he ''wooed'' her back from Blenheim eight years ago.
Mr Mitchell said a fair degree of planning had gone into the proposal, which included sneaking around at the Otago Aero Club two weeks ago to make up the banner and then putting an X on the roof of their Karitane home so pilot John Penno knew where to fly.
He thanked everyone who had helped set up the proposal and kept it a secret.
''You just hope there was no-one else in Karitane with the name Deb,'' he joked.
After the proposal, the pair celebrated with a bottle of Champagne.
