Deshler band director proposes to girlfriend during halftime show

TUSCUMBIA - Tanya Perry watched the halftime performance by Deshler High School's marching band several times this season.

Still, her boyfriend, band director Craig Weeks, insisted she pay special attention to Nov. 20's performance during the halftime of Deshler's 4A state quarterfinal playoff game against Midfield.

"I said, 'Watch this new stuff we've put in,' " Weeks said.

He positioned her near the band on the field, and Perry watched. It appeared to be the same routine - a beach theme with the Beach Boys' song "Surfin' USA."

Each of the 10 members of the dance team held a card designed like a boogie board, just as they had in performances all season.

But the moment the song's last note came up, Perry discovered what was different about this routine. The dance members flipped their boards, to reveal a message: "Tanya Perry, will you marry me?"

"Simultaneously, I dropped to a knee," said Weeks, who proposed on the spot. Band members also dropped to a knee.

"She broke down crying and was very surprised," Weeks said.

More importantly, she said yes. Then the band started playing again.

"They stood up and played a little portion of the 'Bridal Chorus,' " Weeks said. "It got a standing ovation from the crowd."

Weeks had the blessings of Perry's parents to marry her, so he brought them onto the field for the proposal, as well.

"It was one of those things, I wanted it to be special," Weeks said. "This was my only way to make it unique because of what I do."

His brother set them up on a blind date and they immediately hit it off.

Perry lives in Trussville, and she and Weeks dated for about five months.

"We had talked about marriage but had not said definitely we were going to get married," he said.

Perry and the fans in the crowd weren't the only ones surprised that the proposal took place Nov. 20. Weeks initially didn't plan to ask her that night.

"This was planned for the home game before, when we played Central," he said. "I had everything ready and the band was prepared to do it. But she called me that day and she was sick and couldn't go to the game."

So Weeks then planned to propose privately, but when he and the band arrived at the game in Birmingham, the atmosphere seemed perfect.

He told the band the plan was back on, but first talked with Midfield's band director.

"It's a little bit unorthodox for the visiting team to do the halftime show to the visiting crowd," Weeks said. "They usually face the home crowd.

"So I explained what I was doing to the band director and some of their students, and they understood."

Bernie Delinski can be reached at 740-5739 or bernie.delinski@timesdaily.com.