Sthuthi and Lee Loechler met at Brookline High School. The high school sweethearts had one of the most epic marriage proposals of all time, and it took place right in the very neighborhood they met in, years later.
Sthuthi David, originally from Chennai, and Lee Loechler, a Boston native, fell in love as teens and got engaged with the help of the Boston and Brookline communities years later. If you’ve got a proposal on the line, you’re going to want to take notes from filmmaker and Sthuthi’s now husband, Lee Loechler, who recruited the aid of a Boston subreddit group, Coolidge Corner Theatre, and Australian illustrator, Kayla Coombs to tell the story of two Brookline High sweethearts while intercepting a classic Disney tale.
As a filmmaker, Lee Loechler’s job is to tell stories. Telling one of his life’s most significant stories took 6 months of sequestered planning to bring it to the big screen at Coolidge Corner Theater.
Loechler spent half a year collaborating with Australian illustrator, Kayla Coombs, to have himself and then girlfriend, now wife and Cardiologist, Sthuthi David animated into a pretend screening of her favorite Disney movie, Sleeping Beauty.
Happily ever after
During the pivotal scene where Prince Phillip wakes Princess Aurora with a kiss, the proposal commenced. Lee Loechler was animated as the Prince and Sthuthi David as Sleeping Beauty. Onscreen, the prince proceeds to toss a ring box towards the audience which magically lands into Loechler’s hands with an epic catch.
Sthuthi, in shock, amusement, and surprise, turns back to realize that intertwined with sit-in Bostonian audience members found on Reddit are also some of her closest friends and family. She then realizes her favorite Disney movie is becoming her real-life fairytale.
The unforgettable marriage proposal
Loechler begins by saying “it’s not every day you get to propose to your high school sweetheart. So I just want to take my time and savor this moment…will you live happily ever after with me?”
“Yes!” Sthuthi replies! And just like that, their Disney fairytale has a happily ever after.
The couple had an intimate garden wedding two years later and appreciate the support of The Coolidge Corner Theater for allowing them to host a fake screening, the Boston community for stand-in audience support, and of course Brookline High for bringing them together!