Who doesn’t love a good marriage proposal story? Assuming everything goes according to plan, Middlebury’s Susie McGovern and Darin Gates will soon have a great one.
If you somehow skipped over the cover of this week’s issue, take a second and check it out — we’ll wait …
Holy matrimony, right?
Last month, Seven Days put out a call asking readers crazy enough — er, bold enough — to consider making a very public marriage proposal on the cover of our annual Love & Marriage Issue. This is actually the second time we’ve tried the gimmick, but we had no takers last year. This time around, Susie was one of several worthy applicants.
After vetting each and chatting with a few strong contenders to make certain they would go through it — and that they were certain their partner would say “yes” — we landed on Susie. For one, we liked the idea of a woman proposing to man. But mostly, we just got a good vibe. Everyone here at Seven Days is on pins and needles waiting to find out what happens when Darin sees the cover. We’ll report back on how it went next week.
Update: Darin said yes!
An unusual marriage proposal demands a unique wedding venue. Fortunately for Susie and Darin, there is no shortage of them in and around Vermont. From a funky tree house at Oakledge Park in Burlington to a replica of the set of the original “Star Trek” TV show in Ticonderoga, N.Y., the couple should have no trouble finding somewhere as cool as they are to tie the knot.
As for what to wear on the big day, local options abound for brides-to-be like Susie. Grooms and groomsmen such as Darin, however, face a dearth of menswear choices. We suggest trying McNeil & Reedy. The third-generation, family-owned haberdashery in downtown Rutland offers quality and a personalized touch to suit most budgets.
Of course, before even thinking about walking down the aisle, one must first navigate the wild and woolly world of dating. App culture geared more toward hookups than connection and a limited dating pool pose challenges for single Vermonters looking for love. So sex educator and comedian Jenna Emerson aims to help with her live game show “Sex with Jenna: Dating Show,” modeled on “The Dating Game” TV show.
Lucky contestants who meet their match then have another conundrum: Where to go on that all-important first date? Seven Days food writers suggest a trio of romantic restaurants perfect for a special night. For a less conventional first encounter, check out the inaugural art exhibit at the newly minted SEABA Center in Burlington, “From Vermont, With Love.”
Finally, a Passumpsic woman renovating an old house recently stumbled upon a remarkable find: a love letter from 1879 hidden in the floorboards. The discovery, along with some smart sleuthing, unearthed a sweet and dramatic love story from a bygone era. Perhaps someday, many years from now, someone might be working on a house in Middlebury and find this week’s Seven Days buried behind a wall or in the back of a closet and wonder about the couple on the cover. Here’s hoping the story they uncover about Susie and Darin is a long and happy one.
The original print version of this article was headlined “Reader Engagement”
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This article appears in Love & Marriage Issue • 2026.
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