A visit to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta can give you unforgettable memories, from the colorful balloons filling the sky to the breathtaking views below. But for one Denver couple, this year’s Balloon Fiesta is about more than sights and festivities. It’s a celebration of their love.
Christian Guerrero surprised Susie Sass with a marriage proposal at the beloved international event.
Guerrero started planning the proposal months ahead. About three months before the Balloon Fiesta, he reached out to a photographer and let family and friends in on his plan. He also convinced Sass to make the trip on her own, telling her it was a birthday surprise.
Guerrero said he managed to keep his cool until it was time to pop the question.
“I was cool, calm and collected until the last second,” he said in an interview. “And then I got nervous. And then I couldn’t speak. And then I think I blew it all. I don’t know why she said yes.”
It all began with, “What are you doing for the rest of your life?”
Sass said she remembered Guerrero telling her, “I love you. I always have.”
She said she was so overwhelmed that she barely remembers Guerrero actually asking her to marry him.
“But I said yes,” Sass said.
Sass Gets Her Dream Proposal
The couple met through mutual friends and stayed friends for more than a year before they started dating. But Guerrero said he knew he had feelings for Sass from the beginning.
“I had a crush on her since day one,” he said.
Sass described their romance as more of a “slow burn.” They started spending more time together, grabbing meals at restaurants and hanging out just the two of them.
“Somewhere along the way, I was like, ‘What? I kind of like him,” she said.
Sass had wanted to attend the Balloon Fiesta since she and Guerrero first met. When they first started dating, she told him she had always dreamed of receiving a marriage proposal in a hot air balloon.
Why a Balloon Fiesta Proposal Is Worth It
The couple also watched in awe as hundreds of balloons filled the sky over Albuquerque.
“It’s just waves after waves of balloons,” Sass said. “It was beautiful.”
Guerrero said the proposal took some careful planning. But if you’re thinking about getting engaged at Balloon Fiesta, he encourages you to go for it.
“It’s a little nerve-racking to do, but it’s doable,” he said. “If I can do it, anybody can do it. And then you just have really cool pictures after.”
He also recommends getting there early because the park fills up quickly.
Guerrero and Sass hope to return to Balloon Fiesta, possibly for a camping trip with friends. For now, they plan to enjoy being engaged before they start planning their wedding.
“It was incredible,” Sass said. “I kept saying, ‘Best weekend ever.”
