Man’s beach proposal goes horribly wrong as he loses ring in sand

If you're going to plan a public proposal where hundreds of onlookers could be watching, you better make sure it's going to run smoothly.

That means amping up the romance, making sure your partner is actually going to say 'yes', and, of course, not losing the engagement ring.

Groom-to-be Zay mustn't have heard that one before he started planning his proposal to his girlfriend Sai.

To make sure (almost) everything went off without a hitch, Zay hired an event planner to put together the dreamiest engagement right on Coogee Beach in Sydney, Australia.

Of course, when people walking by saw the hundreds of candles and the big block letters that read 'Marry Me' laid out on the beach, they gathered around to watch the moment unfold.

So it's no surprise that at least one onlooker, who was recording the sweet proposal from afar, captured the moment that everything went wrong.

In the video, which has since been posted to TikTok and gotten over 1.4 million views, Zay gets down on one knee in front of the stunning lights display and asks Sai to marry him.

She says yes and the crowd goes wild. But, just seconds later, disaster strikes.

The next clip shows Zay, Sai, and their friends frantically digging through the sand to try and find the engagement ring that had fallen and gotten lost in all the commotion.

Sai told Sky News Australia: "The ring was loose and it flew off my finger after wearing it for about five minutes."

It was another 20 minutes before someone finally found the ring buried in the sand - much to the relief of concerned onlookers.

Posting about the engagement to Instagram, the event planner explained: '“Everything was going so well, according to plan until our beautiful bride dropped the ring into the sand.

"More than two dozen of people jumped in (and) started searching for the ring."

Commenting on the now-viral TikTok, some people suggested that Zay should have been more prepared.

"That's why you hire someone with a metal detector onsite or place netting down," one comment read.

Give the guy a break, can you imagine how long it probably took to set up all those candles?

Others warned the couple that losing the ring so soon after the proposal was a 'bad sign' for their marriage.

But, judging by Sai's reaction to the proposal, I don't think there's anything to worry about there.

Posting a photo of the beach set-up to Instagram, she wrote: "I said YES!! Completely taken by surprise and completely in love.

"I never could have imagined a proposal as perfect and magical as the one you gave me. You have a way of making everything so special and unforgettable.

"Thank you for making me the happiest person in the world. I am so grateful to have you as my partner, my best friend, and now, my fiancé."