Taking the Plunge: The Heartwarming Tale of a Polar Bear Proposal
The newly engaged couple celebrated with family and friends.
Nick Arcidiacono skipped the dip when his buddies took the 26th annual Polar Bear Plunge this past Valentine’s Day weekend. “I had bigger things on my mind,” he says.
Instead, Nick immersed himself in proposing to Brianna DeLuca on Sea Isle City’s 43rd Street beach that sunny and nippy polar plunge Saturday. Before going down on a knee, the former tight end for the Rutgers football team pointed to the sky. He wanted to ensure that DeLuca saw an airplane pulling a banner that read: “BRI, WILL YOU MARRY ME? LOVE, NICK.”
Brianna’s hands went to her face as she transformed into a sudden state of stunned.
Nick’s proposal came as a “complete surprise” that day, Brianna says. “I couldn’t stop crying. I was sobbing.” Somehow Bri managed to reply before Nick put the ring on her finger. They kissed lovingly. Then all 6 feet, 5 inches of her towering future husband scooped up the petite woman in the red knit cap into a bear hug and embraced her as if he would never let go.
Shortly thereafter, there were hugs all around and the popping of champagne.
Several weeks later, they share their story with the Sea Isle Times at the Front Street Café in Philadelphia’s Fishtown neighborhood. They check the menu and patiently and kindly speak with each other about their appetizer preferences. “We’re very indecisive people,” Nick says with a smile.
Still, there was no indecisiveness in Nick’s wish to pop the question in SIC.
“I always knew that I wanted to propose to Bri in Sea Isle,” Nick says. “It’s where we dated. It’s where we fell in love.”
The groom-to-be also knew that he wanted their family members and friends to be with them that happy day. Since many of these loved ones attend the Polar Bear Plunge, that celebratory setting on the sand seemed ideal for the proposal.
Between family members and friends and the plunge crowd, plenty of witnesses shared in Nick’s and Brianna’s intimate moment. More than 100 people attended a post-proposal party at the Arcidiaconos’ Sea Isle home.
With so many people celebrating the proposal, how did Nick manage to surprise Bri?
Nick told only their parents, Mark and Mary Arcidiacono and Mike and Linda DeLuca, about his engagement plans beforehand, he says.
Nick’s dad notes that keeping such a secret is rare today in this age of social media. Rare and remarkable, one might add, considering the numbers of people in the couple’s lives. Nick is one of eight children. Brianna has a brother and strong extended family ties. Both have treasured friendships. And if the name Arcidiacono sounds familiar, Nick’s cousin Ryan starred for Villanova’s 2016 national championship basketball team and now plays for the Chicago Bulls.
“We’re very blessed that our family is growing with such great people,” Nick’s mom says, after her husband mentions how pleased they were that many DeLuca family members joined their large crew in celebrating Nick’s and Brianna’s engagement.
“It’s kind of nice being part of a big family,” says Brianna’s dad. “I couldn’t be happier. The Arcidiaconos did a good job,” Mike adds, describing his future son-in-law as “the perfect gentleman.”
Future mother-in-law Linda notes Nick’s consideration in consulting with both his mom and her about his ideas for presenting the proposal.
Nick’s mom, Mary, created a lovely “backup” proposal arrangement for the couple: a sandy heart trimmed in red roses and shells that read “Bri, Will You Marry Me?” which Mary set in the sand. Brianna’s mom, Linda, found great happiness in watching her daughter as she reacted to the wonderful surprise and interacted with the many well-wishers on the beach.
“There are so many things for which we are grateful,” Linda says.
The Arcidiaconos and the DeLucas hail from Holland, Pa., and own homes in Sea Isle.
Nick, 25, and Brianna, 25, first met in their hometown during their middle-school years. While Nick attended Archbishop Wood High School, Brianna attended Council Rock South. When Nick went off to Rutgers, Brianna attended Penn State. Their romance began to blossom in Sea Isle City in 2015, around the time that their senior year in college approached.
Today, Nick works as a trauma sales representative in the Orthopaedic Trauma & Extremities division at Stryker. Brianna manages supply chain logistics for Burlington (Coat Factory) by seeing to it that outbound merchandise reaches stores in a timely fashion.
Brianna, Nick and their parents note the happy fact that they appreciate being together in Sea Isle City. They also look forward to building even more family traditions here.
“We are Sea Isle people through and through,” says Nick. He and Brianna count the Carousel Beach Bar and The Springfield Inn among their favorite spots. Mike’s Seafood restaurant holds sentimental value. “It’s our anniversary spot, our dating anniversary,” Nick says.
There will be more anniversaries and anniversary spots to come. Nick’s and Brianna’s wedding is still in the planning stages. Ideally, the couple will marry in the fall of 2021, Brianna says. In the meantime, both Nick and Brianna cannot stop smiling as they share a video that captures each of their gentle, loving ways and the delight of their polar plunge engagement day.
Toward the video’s ending, Nick looks directly into the camera and says, “Bri, I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you … and, I love you so much …” To these sentiments, one of the guys in the background hollers “Awww!” before declaring, “Give me a hug!”
