During lockdown, couples have to make do with what they have to keep the love alive. One man, Mark Oakes from Gauteng, wanted to ask his beloved Maxine to marry him but of course, no jewellery stores were open.

So, he decided to get creative and make a ring himself! “One can’t let a pandemic stand in the way of what your heart wants,” he said on local radio show Breakfast with Martin Bester.

He planned a beautiful picnic in the garden, got out some wine (another rare commodity these days) and popped the big question. “We had a proposal picnic with an arts and crafts ring. Our friendly chefs at Woolies provided us with a great meal,” he said.

The ring, complete with a little golden bell in place of a stone, won Maxine over and she said yes.

Take a look at how the romantic day went down:

Images: JacarandaFM