My Engagement in Italy

Yes you read that correctly, I recently got engaged in Italy, to an amazing Sardinian man! Everything about this has seemed incredibly fateful and part of the universe’s plan for me, and it’s one of my favorite travel stories yet, so I decided to write it out!

*I am working on an extended mini-book with more details but for now here’s our story:

The Short Version of My Engagement in Italy

Last summer I was traveling solo in Italy with my dog, Oscar, and decided to go to Sardinia to see the beautiful blue waters and also some potential investment properties. When I announced I was going there, a woman with a travel planning company saw my post, and reached out to ask if I’d be interested in doing a last minute collaboration where she’s from in an area called Ogliastra (which is also a Blue Zone!).

This was also where the up and coming Insta-famous area called Baunei Coast is, and where I had wanted to check out as well. After exploring the area I first wanted to see; the Magdallena Islands and Emerald Coast, I headed south to the little town where she was hosting me called Tortoli.

Part of the collaboration included a sailboat ride along the Baunei Coast, which was exactly what I had hoped to do there, and it was as stunning as the photos I’d seen on social media. But the other part was visiting a winery to try local Sardinian wines, since she knew I love wine, and she wanted me to show other aspects of the area.

But we spent too much time on the sailboat, and the winery closed. Luckily, there was another one that she knew of that was open later. I tried to cancel because I was tired, but she insisted, so I picked up Oscar and went.

When I arrived, I felt awkward strolling up solo to a wine tasting, and felt like the family sitting outside was looking at me like a crazy tourist. There’s a lot more funny moments and thoughts to this moment, but you’ll need to read the extended version below.

Anyway, long story short, a guy with thigh tattoos walked by, and a few minutes later, my server was asking me out for him. At first I said no, because I thought he was asking me to join him and his family for dinner, then I said I would meet him for a drink later. Oh, and she kept mentioning he was “the boss”.

I accepted going to drinks (barely because I almost fell asleep), and then his invitation for lunch the next day before I left for the airport. He tried to ask me to stay in the area a few more days, but I needed to get to Barcelona to start my egg freezing process…since I had given up hope of meeting a good man any time soon to have a child with.

While I was going through the process, and for the three weeks afterwards that I was traveling in Africa hosting my group trips, he would text me every day. From the moment he woke up to when he went to sleep. He would also mention me coming back to Sardinia after Africa, or him coming to see me in Mexico, but I really didn’t think much of it.

But low and behold, he actually booked the flight, and after three months of texting every day, he came to see me in person in Tulum. Of course, I didn’t let him stay with me, and even told him if he was coming just for sex to not get his hopes up. He was completely fine with getting his own place though, and told me he definitely wasn’t flying half way across the world for sex.

Our time together in Mexico was interesting. He definitely spent way too much money on food and drinks, and didn’t understand that just because he is on vacation, does not mean that I am. So I’d work until the mid afternoon, then we’d eat and drink and eat and drink until I got sick of it and told him I needed an adventure. We ended up going to Tulum Ruins, Chichen Itza, and Holbox, and I was extremely happy to discover he’s a pretty good traveler, and more importantly, we got along really well.

He was so kind and respectful to me, and I could tell he really just wanted to be happy and wanted me to be happy as well. After about the second week of him being there, I felt myself start to fall for him, but of course, would not allow myself to show it.

After over a month, he left, and asked if I wanted to be in a relationship with him. I told him if he’s ok with long distance then yes. He said yes, so we planned to spend another two months apart, then I would come to Sardinia all of January.

In those two months I learned that from the moment he saw me he knew he wanted to marry me. He didn’t know who I was, or that I travel for a living, he says he looked into my soul and he knew. So it shouldn’t have been a surprise when he started asking me for my ring size. This saga of the ring really needs more detail, and you’ll have to read about it in the extended version.

In short, he sent me photos of engagement rings and asked if I liked them, but I thought it was for a birthday gift. When I told him that, he said no it’s because “we are engaged”, to which I tried to explain that you have to ask someone if they want to marry you to be engaged. He said something along the lines of, “Yes, I want to ask,” but I still wasn’t sure if he really knew what this all meant. Anyway, he ordered the one I liked from a shop in Zurich, where he wanted to pick it up to give to me on my birthday on January 4th. Again, which is why I thought it was a birthday gift.

But the company delayed production, and as I mentioned, it was a whole saga, so I spent a month and a half stressing about this damn ring and what it was for. We spent NYE in Lucerne, then Lake Como for my birthday, and afterwards went back to Sardinia where I basically moved in with this man for the month.

I spent most days working from the beach or home, and sometimes we’d go up to his winery (by the way, he owns the winery I met him at, did I mention that?), and of course we constantly ate great food. I tried extremely hard to forget about the damn ring, since the company kept changing delivery dates, and then one day, actually after our first ever argument, I came home from a run to see the FedEx truck.

When I came inside…long story short, I had the worst proposal ever. But I can’t blame him, he didn’t know what to do, and proposing in Italy isn’t the same as in USA. So I awkwardly explained to him how big of a deal it is to Americans, and to my surprise, he was very understanding, and said he was going to do it again after we get the ring re-sized (I somehow messed up on the measurements).

A few days later, we got the ring back, and headed to one of the beautiful beaches in this area. It was Sunday, January 14, 2024, and it was supposed to be cloudy, but instead it was a beautiful sunny day.

He found a secluded beach, that was sheltered by giant boulders, and set our matching “Re and Regina” monogrammed wine glasses on top of a boulder, with a cold bottle of his white wine, and a giant bouquet of roses. Of course, the ring was in the box in the middle.

I changed into my long pink velvet birthday dress, because I’m extra like that, and when I walked up he handed me the ring again and said, “Will you marry me in the future?” And I said yes! (Then he asked me if he did it right this time, which I find incredibly sweet).

We spent the next two hours taking photos and videos and drinking the wine, and also just sitting next to each other enjoying the moment. Something I’ve never really done with someone before.

Then we went for a delicious celebratory lunch in a small town where we both got sea urchin pasta, followed by pistachio cannoli. I had wanted his dog to be there for the proposal, but since he’s a bit crazy, we decided to wait, and headed up to the vineyard to see him next. Then for some reason he thought it was the best time to take me on a walking and climbing tour of the entire vineyard, even though I was in heeled boots and a dress.

It really was the most perfect day though, and we ended it at home, where I made us ravioli (well, technically his mom pre-made them, I just added the sauce), and we drunkely sung and danced all night. So much so, that today we are both completely dying and swearing off wine for the next few days.

So that’s my proposal in Italy story! I’ll be updated the extended version with more details about how my life will progress from here, as well as what it’s like living in a fairytale!

Also in case you’re wondering: no I am not pregnant, or trying to get a Golden Visa, or trying to magically acquire a winery. I really do love this man, I know he loves me, and it really seems like everything is meant to be!

And for anyone who has given up on love, or thinks they’ll never find their person, don’t give up! I was not looking for a relationship, I was merely doing what I love; traveling solo with my dog and drinking wine, when the right person found me!