This summer a fairytale came true for Jackson Prep alumnus Taylor Townsend right in Prep’s newly-renovated auditorium. After having dinner with her mother, Prep’s Global Leadership Institute director Dr. Cindy Townsend, Taylor, unsuspecting, was driven to Prep.

There, in Lindsay Hall, she found a note from boyfriend Seth Conerly telling her she was about to go to her ball. Taylor, who graduated from Prep in 2011, was cast as Cinderella in the fall 2010 musical. On July 18th she was once again asked to put on a Cinderella ball gown, and was escorted to the stage by her brother William Townsend, who graduated from Prep this past May.

While waiting on stage in front of 100 or more friends and family, her Prince Charming approached her singing “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful” and carrying a glass slipper which held her engagement ring.

The entire affair was capture on camera, and eventually posted on YouTube where (as of this writing) it has over forty thousand views.

As Seth proposes in the video he can be heard saying, “I love you with all my heart, and you are so much more than I could have ever hoped or dreamed.” As the story goes, Cinderella accepted the Prince’s fabulous proposal, this time, however, Taylor’s fairytale did not end at curtain call.

Several news stations, including WAPT and WLBT, wrote an article about the event. Later, CNN called and asked to interview the couple. The interview took place at Prep with the assistance of Prep’s tech guru  Mr. Bobby Gross. When the couple was asked what they thought about their engagement going viral, they answered, “[we] were both shocked and happy that people wanted to share in our joy.”

Taylor and Seth met through Prep after Seth sent some promotional videos to Prep for GLI: he was later chosen to be the lead speaker at last year’s ninth grade retreat. Seth is currently the youth minister at Venture Church in Hattiesburg. After Taylor graduates from Baylor University in December with a degree in business entrepreneurship, she plans to get married on the following Valentine’s Day.

Taylor wants God to be the focus of her wedding; although, she does plan to incorporate hints of the Cinderella theme into her wedding reception.  After she marries her prince, she intends to move to Hattiesburg and explore job opportunities there.