Join us as we share the romantic proposal story of Tanya Rad, a radio and podcast host, and Roby Yadegar, who are newly engaged and excited to plan their future together! In this article, Tanya and Roby open up about the special details of their proposal, giving readers an exclusive peek into the heartfelt and magical moments that led to their engagement.
How did you and your partner first meet?
Tanya: Roby and I met the good old-fashioned way…. On a dating app 😉
We matched on Nov 1, 2019 and went on our first date Nov 5, 2019. I was a big believer in not letting conversation linger in the apps for too long. Get out and meet the person IRL and see if you have any chemistry – that was my motto. To be honest, at the time I matched with Roby I did not have high hopes for our date. I had just ended something with yet another guy and was feeling defeated and depleted in the love department.
My coworker forced me to go and said it would be good for me to get back out there and that Roby “seemed like a great guy” based on his profile… little did she know, he was the most incredible man I’ve ever met.
It was divine intervention because we met a few months before the pandemic and lockdown and so we had a very once in a lifetime courtship. We just became exclusive at the end of January 2020 (when he asked me to officially be his girlfriend) and then, the whole world shut down in the beginning of March 2020.
It was such a unique way to get to know someone. With everything shutdown we made “restaurants” in our living room, had picnics to safely meet each other’s friends, and did zoom double dates. It was a scary time in the world and I feel so grateful that I had him in my life to lean on and also go through it with someone.
Roby: A bit of a polarizing topic but Tanya made the first move 😉 by liking my photo on a dating app – she claims I made the first move by starting the conversation… whatever side of the debate you’re on (my side or the wrong side) the connection was immediate…
Little did I know that her friends were actually writing her messages to me on the dating app, so really my connection with her friends was immediate lol, but regardless, I was very excited for our first date a few days later…. the moment I laid eyes on her I knew she was special, and a date that was supposed to last an hour lasted 5, neither of us wanted it to end, and the rest is history…
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Did you have any idea that a proposal was coming, or was it a complete surprise?
Tanya: I’m nothing if not the opposite of subtle, so Roby was fully aware of my eagerness to get engaged early on in our relationship. I was never shy about my intentions with him or this relationship, and fell for him quickly. I knew at a certain point that he and I both felt the same way about this relationship and we wanted to spend our lives together… however, that being said the proposal itself REALLY caught me off guard.
Roby: At a certain point in the relationship it became an express topic of conversation. We both knew it was going to happen it was just a matter of when. I had a very specific vision of where to do it that was particularly meaningful to us but it took longer than anticipated to get the ring in order and organize everything, so while I knew it was going to happen soon, she didn’t, and let me tell you, there is nothing harder than being in Paris at the Eiffel Tower at midnight with your fiance who is expecting you to propose and…. not proposing lol…. in the end where we did it was so much more special and perfect for us (and was well worth the wait!).
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Can you describe the day of the proposal?
Tanya: First of all let me tell you he proposed to me on a Sunday AFTER a Jonas Brothers concert and if anyone is looking to throw their partner off when it comes to when you’re going to propose … I was NOT expecting it on that day whatsoever.
There is a specific courtyard in Beverly Hills that is very meaningful to our relationship. I spent many afternoons in this courtyard (by this specific fountain) praying for my future husband. While I was in this courtyard praying for this future husband I hadn’t met yet, my fiancé was parking every single day in this parking structure and would walk through this courtyard (we assume right by me multiple times) and we had never even known it – until we met several years later. To us, this courtyard is our “invisible string” (for all my fellow Swifites out there). This always gave me the feeling that we were meant to be together, soulmates just waiting to meet at the perfect time.
This courtyard is on the side of a hotel (The Maybourne in Beverly Hills) and we go to this spa for couples massages from time to time. He had arranged for us to have a couples massage that Sunday.
When we got to reception, they explained their couples massage room had a leak and they’d have to split us up. So we went our separate ways. (and if I’m being honest, I was a little annoyed we weren’t together lol!) My massage therapist had to end my massage early (which I also thought was so weird) but then she handed me a hand-written letter from my then boyfriend:
“My angel, It’s been a long journey but we are finally here… your dress, shoes & makeup are waiting for you in the locker room. Please take your time to get ready and meet me on the garden terrace outside the spa… Love, me”
At this moment I knew. I burst out into tears and hugged my therapist and said “I’M GETTING ENGAGED!!!!!!”
I opened my locker and saw the white outfit I’d wanted to wear for my engagement… he’d listened, and remembered! He pulled a bag of my makeup together, underwear, heels (which I hated but it’s a cute story now) and it was all there for ready for me.
I started trying to put makeup on but couldn’t stop the teardrops from rushing down my face so decided to scrap the makeup idea and just get my clothes on and get out to my man ASAP!!!
I walked out to the terrace and saw him looking more handsome than I’ve ever seen him before. He was dressed in a suit with the biggest smile on his face.
He spoke to me for 10 minutes and 34 seconds and then got down on his knee and asked me to marry him.
I was a MESS.
After I said yes – he’d had our immediate family, and my best friends waiting in the corner to celebrate. It was the most incredible and also overwhelming feeling I’ve experienced in my entire life. I’ve never felt so loved, I’ve never felt so cared for, and I’ve never felt so excited to start the next chapter of my life.
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Where did the proposal take place and why is that place significant to you both?
Tanya: The Maybourne Beverly Hills courtyard is a place that holds a lot of meaning in our relationship. This is the courtyard that Roby and I would pass by each other unknowingly for years before we even met. It was our invisible string (all my swifties will get that reference). To us this courtyard holds a very special meaning and we try to have date nights there and spend as much time in this beautiful courtyard so we can always be reminded about the invisible string that was holding us together before we even met.
Roby: Tanya was expecting a proposal “any day” at the time I proposed so I really wanted to make it a surprise… it was very important to me to have our immediate families (and a few of her closest friends) there to share the moment with, so once I finally had the ring in hand, I immediately started coordinating with everyone to find a time that worked for everyone, which was not easy… most unfortunately her parents were out of the country and were not coming back for another several months, so I made the difficult decision of doing it without them, knowing how important the timing was for Tanya.
First i coordinated with our immediate families and then started a group text with her group of her 6 closest friends (who are basically family) and that is when hilarity ensued… I can’t reveal those texts but let’s just say that they are some of the funniest texts I have ever been a part of and everyone did a concerningly good job of lying and misleading her lol including the group of them who were at all the Jonas Brothers concert with her the night before fully knowing what was going to happen the next day…. Once the date was set, I coordinated with the hotel (the staff at the Maybourne spa were incredible and were fully committed to helping to pull it off) and the restaurant (for the after party) – all of which are together in just a few days… it was go time…
While Tanya was getting her massage, i ran to my car, grabbed my suit and her clothes (which I had picked) and makeup (which I had put together with the help of her friends on a video call) and ran back to the spa so they could put her dress and makeup in her locker for when her massage was done. I then changed and met everyone on the balcony terrace which is where the proposal was going to happen.
We waited much longer than expected for her to come out (apparently there was a lot of crying lol). I had everyone hide in an areas where she would not see them at first so the proposal was just me and her. I had a talking points prepared in my head and was planning to express a few thoughts before proposing, but apparently had a lot more to say and spoke for over 5 minutes before getting on my knee to propose…
As soon as she said yes, my kids ran out first, hugged us and it was one of the most special moments of my life. I almost come to tears just writing about it. Then everyone else ran out and congratulated us and took pics before heading downstairs for dinner and champagne at a restaurant on
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How did your friends and family react when they found out about the proposal?
Tanya: Roby was really sweet and intentional and involved everyone. Not only did he want our close friends and family to be there when he proposed… he got everyone involved to help with the process.
One of my FAVORITE videos of all time is a video one of my maids of honor Paulina, made when Roby was getting ready for the proposal. I left the house for the Jonas Brothers concert and he facetimed 2 of my best friends so they could see all my makeup and they could help him pick the makeup he needed to pack for the proposal. Watching the video and hearing him go through my makeup and them deciding what I needed was so precious, it makes me emotional to even think about.
Looking back, what was the most memorable or meaningful part of the proposal for you?
Tanya: Every single part of our proposal was so deeply meaningful. From where he did it, to how he did it, to getting everyone involved in the making of the moment. He even paid attention and packed the perfect outfit I’d wanted for the big moment. When I bought this white outfit I had told him I want to take engagement photos in it… so he clocked that, remembered it, and made sure he picked that outfit for our proposal.
The fact he had everyone there to witness it and bring signs and be able to congratulate us right there on the spot… I have never been so consumed by love. I didn’t know who to hug first, I didn’t know where to go, what to do, I truly feel like I blacked out in the best way. I’m so glad my fiancé put a selfie video on us for the proposal because he talked for 10 minutes before he got down on his knee and I truly just blacked out … at least with the video I’m now able to go back and listen and hear what he actually said! Lol
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What advice would you give to someone planning a proposal for their partner?
Tanya: Pay attention and make it thoughtful. Paying attention to things they have said previously and being intentional about where and how you do it. There wasn’t anything fancy about our proposal.. he didn’t have rose pedals all over the floor or bouquets of flowers everywhere.. it was truly just about the 2 of us, this meaningful place, and the most meaningful people and it was perfect!
How did the proposal reflect your relationship or your personalities as a couple?
Tanya: Roby and I are both thoughtful and intentional people. It very funny because he and I were in Paris together about 2 months before we got engaged. And I was certain he was going to propose in front of the lit-up Eiffel Tower… I was SURE of it. I’m not going to lie I was definitely a little disappointed when it didn’t happen there, but now looking back I am so happy he did it where and when he did it.
This is a place that already holds so much meaning to us, it’s a place we go often, and so now every time we go there we reminisce about our engagement and it makes me so happy. I also love that our friends and family were there to celebrate with us in the moment and we all went down to a restaurant downstairs for a champagne toast afterwards and it was just so beyond perfect. I feel like our engagement is such a perfect reflection of us as a couple: intentional, family-focused, and joyful.
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