Watch a Florida Man Take His Marriage Proposal Underwater

— -- Just when you thought it would be difficult to trump the California firefighter who surprised his girlfriend with an engagement ring while skydiving, a Florida man has taken his marriage proposal into the deep.

Alex Montgomery and Lauren Schuhle met at the University of Florida about two years ago. The two have been dating for a year and a half and love to scuba dive together, Montgomery said. When Montgomery realized Schuhle was the one, he said he wondered: “What would be a better place to propose to Lauren than under the water?”

“The whole reason I did it was because I wanted to make it special for her,” Montgomery told ABC News.

Though an underwater proposal was a romantic idea, Montgomery was nervous that things could go wrong. In fact, a few things “actually went wrong” on the big day, June 12.

“There was a leak in Lauren’s regulator, which made it hard for her to breathe,” Montgomery said. “Also, my dad and I had a little miscommunication, and we almost couldn’t find the ring under the water.”

The plan was for Lauren to discover a treasure chest under the sea. When she opened it, she would find out a flip book handmade by Montgomery with a poem that he wrote printed on it.

The plan didn’t play out the way Montgomery expected. Because of crossed signals with his dad, Montgomery thought the treasure chest would be placed directly under the boat.

It turned out, the treasure chest was actually about 50 yards away from where they were.

“I looked everywhere, and I couldn’t find it,” Montgomery said.

“I was so nervous. I thought I was about to watch my whole engagement proposal fall apart,” Montgomery said with a chuckle. “I had to go back up and ask my dad where the chest was.”

When Schuhle finally spotted the treasure chest, she still had no clue what was happening. Montgomery helped her open the treasure chest, but there were no diamonds inside.

Well, not yet.

Montgomery took out a 14-page flip book that he made. A poem Montgomery wrote was printed on the flip book, and it read:

Two best friends, hand in hand

God had a plan to bring us together

We soon fell in love and knew it would be forever

You’ve changed my life and made me a better man

It’s been an incredible journey since the day it all began

You are the one, my idea of perfection

The ultimate companion and my eternal connection

Deep in my heart you will always be

The most important person in the world to me

Now here we are on the ocean floor

A boy and his girl who he loves, cherishes, and adores

I want to ask you a question that will change your life

Because I know for certain you will be the perfect wife.

After the two finished flipping through every page in the book, Montgomery rolled open a poster, which read: “Will you marry me?”

The ecstatic girlfriend couldn’t speak under the water, but she waved her arms rigorously and offered Montgomery an affirming hug.

“My heart was beating so fast,” Schuhle told ABC News. “It was hard not being able to say anything, but you could see there were bubbles coming out of my mouth.”

Then, Montgomery unveiled a ring.

“When I put the ring on Lauren’s finger, I just felt amazing,” Montgomery said. “Everything has come together at that point.”

“I just wanted to get up there as soon as possible and give him a hug,” Schuhle said.