Matt Ober proposed to his now-fiancée on Dec. 22, through an elaborate plan that involved many people and businesses in Los Gatos. Matt wanted to make the event special and flawlessly perfect, so that one day Stacie would look back on her engagement story with a bit of fairy-tale charm.

He chose to build his proposal around the annual Los Gatos holiday carriage rides since he thought it was the most romantic local venue, and because the couple had enjoyed the ride in the past.

So Matt drove the carriage route about 15 times, learning where the carriage would go and which houses along the course were decorated and lit the most spectacularly with Christmas lights. The route winds through the charming Almond Grove neighborhood.

He had a banner custom made, courtesy of Ellen Faleide of Pro Signs, Inc. of Los Gatos, which read: "Stacie, will you marry me?" and placed it, with permission, in the front yard of the Dardis home, at the corner of Bay View and Bean avenues. He also received special authorization from the town of Los Gatos and the Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce, which offers the carriage rides, to have Stacie's ride make some extra stops and take an alternate route.

The couple had already taken a carriage ride earlier this holiday season, so Stacie wasn't expecting to take another ride. She came home from work on Dec. 22 to celebrate "Christmas Eve's Eve" a little early with Matt since she was headed out of town the next day. But instead of Matt, she found a tape recorder waiting for her.

The tape featured Matt's voice instructing her to walk into town where the carriage rides start by the town plaza, and get on the ride alone. Five roses, candy and champagne awaited her, and throughout the rest of the evening she continued to pick up more flowers to add to her bouquet.

Bundled in the carriage as she reached the corner of Bayview and Main Street, Stacie was instructed to press play again on the tape recorder and was entertained by Christmas music.

When she reached the Dardis residence, Matt was waiting on one knee with yet another rose, the ring and the banner behind him. As soon as he popped the question, Stacie said "Yes" and everyone watching offered a round of applause.

"That's the very reason why we love Los Gatos," Stacie says. "We call it Pleasantville."

Matt then joined her on the carriage ride as it continued through the neighborhood, stopping in front of C.B. Hannegan's, where they got out and Stacie received more roses from representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, executive director Ronee Nassi and office administrator Rei Yamakawa.

"He makes everything we do together a really big deal," Stacie says.

The co-owners of C.B. Hannegan's, Chris Benson and Johnny Hannegan, had set up a table for the couple featuring the 10th rose, since the establishment is where the couple first met nearly two years ago. Friends also joined Stacie and Matt and reenacted the first time they met, followed by a toast.

"Our whole worlds came together perfectly," Stacie says. "Our families are similar, and our friends are similar."

From there, Stacie and Matt hopped into Matt's car where there was yet another rose awaiting her, and they took a ride through the Fantasy of Lights display in Vasona Park. This was followed by the 12th rose and dinner at Cafe Marcella on Village Lane. Stacie and Matt went back to their quaint Los Gatos apartment, opened their Christmas presents and called everyone they knew to share the good news.

"It all worked out," Matt says. "I really wanted to make it special, and I'm all about timelines to make it perfect."

The bride-to-be, originally from Fresno, is the daughter of Joe Puma and Ruby Peterson of Fresno. She is a 1986 graduate of McLane High School of Fresno, and a 1998 graduate of Fresno State University, where she received a bachelor's degree in speech communication. She currently works as a technical recruiter for All Covered in Redwood City.

The future groom, of Los Gatos, is the son of Don and Dori Ober of Willow Glen. He is a 1991 graduate of Leigh High School of San Jose, and attended West Valley College. He works as a Bay Area senior account manager for New Century Title Co., located in Campbell.

News of the proposal has spread throughout town and now the couple can't seem to walk into the Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Co. or Safeway without someone congratulating them. They plan to be married in fall 2005 and hope to continue living in Los Gatos after their wedding. Matt says he's looking forward to coming home to Los Gatos, seeing the mountain range behind the town and always knowing he's coming home.