Tim Corrigan and Courtney Protzer’s Engagement

After a helicopter ride over Manhattan and the Grand Canyon, Courtney Protzer never expected her most recent sky-lined trip to end with a proposal.

However, on Friday, June 8, Tim Corrigan planned the ultimate romantic gesture for his now fiancée, Courtney. Tim called up a friend from WLKY-32 and asked him to fly the TV station’s news chopper to a field behind Courtney’s house. Tim and Courtney were lifted off the ground by helicopter, and the two went soaring through the air, stopping right in the center of Waterfront Park.

“We were in New York and we did a helicopter tour and a lot of people thought that’s when (I was) going to propose,” explained Tim, who spent about three months planning the proposal. “And we did a helicopter tour in Vegas to the Grand Canyon … and everyone thought (I) was going to do it. And this time we hadn’t gotten engaged twice, so she thought it was just a joyride.”

Suspecting the entire night was centered around a trip to see the Kix Brooks concert at Fourth Street Live!, Courtney never thought twice about a potential engagement ring culminating the night.

“I told her to expect it when you least expect and she was not expecting it,” Tim said. “Everybody was in on it.”

It wasn’t until Courtney saw photographer Jacob Zimmer waiting at Waterfront Park that she knew the third helicopter ride would be the charm.

Tim and Courtney walked toward the water, where a table had been set up with the couple’s favorite drink, the Side Car martini, and a hand-made bouquet of white flowers.

“She looked at me and said, ‘Are we getting married?’ Tim said. They didn’t get hitched that day, but Tim did walk Courtney closer to the water to get down on one knee and ask her to be his wife.

Tim Corrigan and Courtney Protzer.

Walking back toward Witherspoon Street, Tim and Courtney then passed by a condo on Waterfront Park Place. There, friends were hanging outside on the balcony, ready to unveil a huge banner congratulating Tim and Courtney.

What first seemed like a few close buddies turned out to be an entire reception of friends and family inside the 10th floor of the condo.

After celebrating the engagement, everyone headed to Molly Malone’s in St. Matthews, where Tim and Courtney first met.

The date is yet to be set for the wedding, but after all Tim’s proposal planning, he hopes Courtney will be willing to take over some of the wedding details. Regardless, the two are excited to begin a new journey together, which Tim said has been built upon the foundation of, “Two words simply: respect and trust.”

Photos By TIM VALENTINO | Contributing Photographer