For most couples, a marriage proposal is an intimate, tear-filled milestone, meant to be shared with close friends and family.
But for one TikTok couple, a sweet, intimate engagement quickly turned into an internet sensation for a reason they never saw coming.
Mackenzie Davis recently shared the emotional moment her boyfriend of three years dropped to one knee to ask for her hand in marriage.
The couple were best friends first before developing romantic feelings, and met while they were both apprentices at a ballet company in Michigan.
They have since moved twice across the US to be with each other.
In the video, her partner is visibly overwhelmed with emotion, crying as he professes his love on the couple’s third anniversary.
However, TikTok’s notoriously sharp-eyed viewers quickly locked onto a very specific, X-rated detail: a prominent, unavoidable erection pressing against the groom-to-be’s trousers.
The video has since reached 1.5 million views on TikTok and over 18 million views on Instagram, leaving the internet completely divided between those swooning over the raw romance and those who can’t stop giggling at the inappropriate mishap.
The groom speaks out
Despite the sudden influx of millions of eyes on his private part, the man at the center of the viral storm, Evan Arredondo, remains incredibly grounded.
Speaking exclusively about the viral experience, he admitted that both he and his fiancée were entirely oblivious to the wardrobe malfunction before uploading it to social media.
“Nor did we expect it to go as viral as it has since its posting,” Arredondo told news.com.au.
“Mackenzie has a following, and we were expecting it to do well for her followers, but not like this!”
While many are focused on the obvious comedy of the clip, a massive wave of female viewers has flooded social media expressing envy, wishing they could find a partner who is so outwardly passionate.
For the groom-to-be, being viewed as a standard for a good partner is a welcome compliment.
“Who wouldn’t want others to be like you?” he shared.
Reflecting on why the video struck such a chord, he added that he is a man who is in touch with his emotions.
“There’s no way I could’ve held back my tears, and I’m sure I’ll start crying on our wedding day as well,” Arredondo explained.
As for the inevitable trolls and cheeky jokes that have arisen since the popular video, the couple is not letting it ruin their engagement bliss.
Having a partner who is a professional ballerina and in the social media spotlight has taught him how to block out the noise.
Arredondo doesn’t think there have been any negative effects for him since his fiancée shared the sweet video.
“One thing I’ve learned from being with Mackenzie is that people will always leave some sort of negative thoughts or judgment for just about anything,” he recalled.
“No one is perfect, and for that reason, there will always be negativity. However, I think our video going viral has done us more good than harm.”
The internet’s reaction
As expected with any viral video, the comment section exploded, both on Mackenzie Davis’ Instagram and TikTok pages.
On one side, viewers couldn’t get over how pure and deeply in love the groom-to-be appeared, praising his emotional vulnerability.
“Men who are actually feeling and expressing their emotions are so hot!” one user noted.
“Stoooppp, I’m sobbing,” another wrote.
“If my man doesn’t cry, I don’t want it,” echoed a third.
“That’s a green flag right there, girl, you won,” someone else posted.
On the other hand, the internet’s comedians immediately took notice of his biological reaction, turning the romantic moment into a comedy goldmine.
“Congrats to the three of you,” one person wrote.
“Wear thick pants when proposing … Noted,” a second posted with a green tick emoji.
“Aww, he even pitched a tent for you to stay on the beach longer,” another expressed.
Despite the speculation about the boyfriend’s excitement, one user pointed out that it may not have been an erection that caused social media to freak out.
“With love y’all, that isn’t an erection. The lil mesh pouch inside the swim shorts makes it stick out like that,” one person claimed.
But with a wedding to plan and a love story that has officially been cemented in TikTok history, this couple is proving that a little X-rated attention is something they can handle.
