Take note - this is the way to propose

It took Daniel Price a year to propose to his girlfriend Hannah Beth Leslie.

Not that he required that long to summon up the nerve. He needed the time to set up an elaborate proposal based on the Jewish couple's favourite romantic movie, The Notebook.

The film, set in Charleston, in the United States, tells the story of a pair of lovers separated by their parents, but reunited years later when Allie discovers Noah has restored a house for her, and wrote love letters every day for the first year they were apart.

Ms Leslie has seen the film over 20 times, and it took on a particular significance for the couple after Mr Price, 28, organised a private screening as a Valentine's Day date.

So last month, while on a holiday in New York with Ms Leslie's family, Mr Price surprised his girlfriend by waking her up at 5am to catch a flight for Charleston.

A driver was waiting for them at the airport to take them to the famous house, where Mr Price had organised musicians to play the soundtrack from the film, as well as a photographer and a videographer to record the event.

"I pretended that I had arranged a tour of the house and that they were making a video for the local tourist board," said the former JFS pupil from Mill Hill, north London.

He led Ms Leslie, 24, to the nearby lake so they could re-enact their favourite moment from the film, when it is revealed that Noah wrote Allie 365 letters. In keeping with the story, Mr Price had also written a love letter every day for the past year.

Mr Price recalled: "I said to Hannah Beth: 'This is all for you. I wanted to bring you here for five years, to our favourite house. I need to ask you one question'. And she said yes."

The film was hugely popular when it came out in 2004 and the owner of the house in Charleston is inundated with requests from couples who want to propose there. Mr Price was the first person to be granted permission.

"I went through a lot of hurdles. The property management company gets calls all the time but they never allowed anyone to do it," he said.

After initially having his request refused, Mr Price, who runs a gift company, managed to track down the owner, contacted him directly and "pleaded his case".

Ms Leslie, an interior design student who lives in Radlett, Hertfordshire, said she was "overcome" by the proposal.

"I couldn't believe the effort Daniel had put in. I thought the letters were just a prop. It was the most amazing thing. More than I could ask for."

She added: "Everyone's been saying, 'you're so lucky, does Daniel have a brother?'"