SALISBURY — A young man determined to show his love to the woman he wanted to marry put on a display intended to encourage her to say yes when he popped the ultimate question that was lit up for all to see Monday — Marry Me?

Isaac Hargrave said he reached out to Delilah Hillie, who runs Galore Decore & More, to ask for her help in setting the stage for an upcoming proposal.

“He gave me a week,” Hillie said, laughing. “He said ‘is that too long?’ and I laughed, told him most people give me a month, but we’d make it work.” She said he wasn’t sure what he wanted so she asked him to trust her.

She suggested Bell Tower Green, which Hargrave liked, but initially he thought maybe setting the display in front of the amphitheater but she encouraged him to put it in front of the waterfall.

Hillie set up white letters that were about two feet high that were lighted that spelled out the question “marry me” with a six-foot high heart in the center that she filled with roses. She rolled out a red carpet in front of the letters and placed vases of more roses and vases with floating candles along each side. She started working around 3 p.m., saying she always left time “just in case something doesn’t work and I need to adjust.” Initially, the lights on one group of letters did, indeed, fail to light, but she was able to figure out why and get it going.

“But that’s why I don’t show up at 4:30 for a 5 o’clock event,” she said.

When Hargrave arrived about 4 p.m., he was thrilled, hugging Hillie and saying “this is amazing. Way more than I expected.”

Hillie said the two had become friends during the planning, and that Hargrave had gone from calling her Ms. D to Mama D.

Meanwhile, the woman of the hour was expected to arrive at 5 p.m., and in the interim, family and friends of both parties began to arrive, with cameras at the ready.

The guest of honor was running late, and though he insisted he was not worried, Hargrave did do a few pushups and made a few laps around the group while waiting. As it became clear the object of his affections, Taleia Hopkins, was near, the group drew close to the waterfall to try to prevent being seen, and the friend delivering Hopkins brought her in from the children’s play area behind the waterfall.

When Hopkins made it around the corner of the waterfall and saw the gathering, she put her face in her hands in surprise.

Hargrave put his arm around her and gently led her forward in front of the lighted lettered sign before dropping to one knee and opening the ring box before asking her to marry him.

She said yes, and after putting the ring on her finger, she finally got to take in the beautiful display that had been set up for her benefit.

And then Hargrave took a moment to celebrate, whooping and leaping for joy.

The couple has not yet set a date, but Hargrave did say he has already talked with his pastor about marriage counseling to prepare for the event, and a lifetime together.