Congratulations are in order for Rachel Smith! The former Miss USA and her longtime boyfriend, Mike Weed, are engaged. Smith, who joined ETlast year, couldn't be happier to take this next step in their relationship, telling ET that she looks forward to "being on 'lockdown' with him for life!"
"Our engagement happened in the midst of a pandemic and a movement. But honestly, I wouldn’t have had it any other way," Smith shares. "I think the proposal coming at this time in the world is a testament to our love and the strength of our relationship. He is everything I’d hoped for and more -- even during a period of lockdown due to COVID-19! We have experienced true friendship together, the passing of my father and a long distance relationship, among many other life experiences. He is an exceptional man, and I look forward to being on 'lockdown' with him for life!"
The Edward Jones financial advisor proposed at the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in Nashville, Tennessee, right on the large map of the state.
"We walked there on one of our first dates, and it has been a significant spot for us since. It is also one of the most underrated and most beautiful spots in Nashville," shares Smith.
When asked if she saw the proposal coming, Smith says that she and Weed have "talked openly" about their future and marriage. "One of my closest girlfriends, as well as my mom, asked about my ring preferences, but it was eight or nine months ago, so I truly had no idea the proposal was coming the day it happened," she expresses.
While she didn't know it was going to happen that day, ahead of the proposal, Weed encouraged her to get her hair trimmed, "since I was complaining of split ends growing since February," she joked. He also mentioned that she should get a manicure with her mom, now that the salons in the state were open.
"But I wasn’t having it," she notes, adding that she did end up getting a pedicure. "I’ve been the queen of quarantine in lockdown and beyond, staying tucked away safely at home. In hindsight, I wish I would’ve gone to my hairstylist Kimbol for a trim and gotten a manicure that day!"
As for how Weed acted before popping the question, Smith recalls that "the only out of the ordinary thing Mike did that day was iron his button down shirt."
"We’re pretty casual people that love to rock some gym clothes, so I thought that was a bit odd but told myself it simply was because he wanted us to get a little dressed up for our first date night out of the house post quarantine," she says.
The proposal, meanwhile, wasn't a secret to their friends and family.
"ALL of our immediate family and our closest core group in Nashville were in on the proposal, as well as my best friend and her husband, who live in Richmond, Virginia," Smith shares. "And how could I forget, our ET Executive Producer Erin Johnson and one of my New York producers Rande Iaboni were in on it as well! Rande put Mike in touch with Erin, who cleared my work schedule, so the evening could go smoothly. Mike planned everything so thoughtfully. It was perfect!"
Reporting by Jackie Willis.
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