When Ryleigh Paulin spotted a picturesque proposal setup during a family trip, her first thought was to avoid crashing a stranger’s big moment. Little did she know, the real surprise was waiting for her — courtesy of a fiancé who mastered the art of misdirection.
Paulin and her now-fiancé, Brock Ramos, had recently picked out her dream ring, but she believed it was still being crafted. “I got very excited and happy — I was on my way down for a weekend of fun with my family and friends and when I got home I was going to get engaged,” Paulin said. Unbeknownst to her, Ramos had already hatched a plan to propose during their Utah getaway, complete with a clever ruse.
Ryleigh Paulin’s surprise engagement in St. George, Utah. Photo by halleighphoto/Instagram
The couple had traveled to St. George to revisit meaningful spots, including a street of houses they’d admired early in their relationship. “That trip is when our relationship really went to the next level,” Paulin said. As the sun dipped behind a cliff, Ramos suggested snapping photos — a seemingly casual idea that masked his true intentions.
Walking toward the scenic overlook, Paulin noticed a flower arch and photo frames. “I said, ‘Oh, um, I think someone is getting engaged!’” she said. Ramos played along, replying, “Yeah, I think so too.” Paulin, convinced they were intruding, grew baffled as he led her closer.
I genuinely thought he was going to fake propose on someone else’s proposal setup,” she said.
Then came the plot twist: the frames featured their photos, and Paulin’s sisters emerged with cameras. “That is when I realized I was the one getting engaged,” Paulin said. The setup, orchestrated by Ramos and her family, had been hidden in plain sight. “They did such a beautiful job setting it up,” she said.
Ryleigh Paulin’s surprise engagement in St. George, Utah. Photo by halleighphoto/Instagram
Even the jeweler’s email — claiming the ring wasn’t ready — was part of the scheme. “It turns out he asked the man to send it to throw me off,” Paulin said, with a laugh. Her shock lingered until Ramos opened the ring box. “I couldn’t stop saying ‘what the heck,’” she said.
The TikTok video of the proposal charmed thousands, with viewers praising Ramos’s flair for drama. Snack brand Triscuit even joined in, posting, “‘Yeah I think so too’ — straight out of a rom com,” to which Paulin responded, “Making him watch hours of rom coms paid off.” Another user giggled at her initial confusion, prompting the bride-to-be to joke, “I clearly did not read the room lol.”
@ryemarie_ She was shook to say the least #wedding #engagement #proposal #engaged #bride #groom #weddingtiktok #weddingtok ♬ original sound – ꜰɪɪʀᴍᴇᴏʟᴅɪᴇꜱᥫ᭡
Source: People
