Celebrating The Country Stars Who Announced Engagements In 2025
Several of country music’s biggest stars surprised fans by announcing their engagements in 2025. There’s no denying that love was in the air this year!
A few artists, like Reba McEntire, kept their engagement a secret for a while. Others, such as Matt Stell, got engaged AND married before sharing the happy news.
Join us in celebrating Reba, Matt, and the other country stars who announced engagements in 2025!
Revisit The Proposal Photos & Stories From Country Stars Who Announced Their Engagements In 2025
Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire and her longtime love, actor Rex Linn, actually got engaged on Christmas Eve in 2024. But they didn’t share the news of their engagement until September of this year.
E!‘s Zuri Hall interviewed Reba and Rex at the Primetime Emmy Awards on September 14, and introduced Rex as Reba’s “fiancé.” The couple nodded in acknowledgment, confirming that the news was true!
During a later interview with PEOPLE, Reba shared the story of her and Rex’s engagement. “We got engaged December the 24th, Christmas Eve at Leiper’s Fork.” She said the proposal came as “a total surprise” and was “very romantic.”
They intended to share the news in January. But after the LA wildfires, they felt it wasn’t appropriate to share the news when so many people were suffering.
The chance to announce their engagement naturally presented itself at the Emmys, so they ran with it.
Although Reba and Rex are in no rush to plan a wedding, they have kept busy since announcing their engagement. They’re both starring in Season 2 of Happy’s Place, which releases new episodes on NBC on Fridays.
Matt Stell
“Prayed for You” singer Matt Stell surprised his fans by announcing that he got engaged on January 3 and got married the next day!
Matt proposed to Kasey Harvey on the beach while vacationing in Mexico. When telling Bobby Bones about their proposal and wedding story, Matt said:
“You know after I pop the question and got engaged, I asked her right there, I was like, ‘Hey, I don’t want to spring this on you…but I think fiancé is the dumbest word in all of English language. And I don’t wanna be one for very long. I’m ready to be your husband.‘”
Both Matt and Kasey’s parents were on vacation with them. So they decided it was the perfect time for them to go ahead and tie the knot! Matt’s best friend served as their officiant, and they were married on the beach.
Emmy Russell
Like Matt Stell, American Idol alum Emmy Russell also waited to announce her engagement until after she was married!
Emmy and her longtime boyfriend, Tyler Ward, secretly got married within the last year. They had an intimate ceremony and purchased their wedding cake from Kroger.
Tyler and Emmy finally shared the news of their marriage (and engagement) in a joint interview with PEOPLE in February.
“We told everybody so last minute because we wanted to make sure it was for us and not everybody else,“ Tyler said. “We wrote our own vows. And it was one of those things where you’re like, this to me is how it’s supposed to be because it was between us.“
The couple also welcomed their first child, a daughter named Taylor Raydiant Ward, on January 31.
Lainey Wilson
Lainey Wilson and her boyfriend of nearly four years, former NFL star Devlin “Duck” Hodges, announced their engagement on February 12. Duck popped the question on the front porch of George Jones’ former home in Franklin, Tennessee.
“He had it all staged. Mandelyn [Monchick], my manager, and her boyfriend were supposed to be meeting us and all this stuff just to go look at it because I was like, ‘I want to go see where George Jones lived,'” Lainey told the Kelleigh Bannen Show. “And then we showed up, and they weren’t there. And he had in front of the door, it was candles and picture frames and it was beautiful.“
Lainey and Duck have taken their time with wedding planning. But they have figured out a few details. For starters, Lainey has decided to ditch her signature bell-bottoms for her wedding day and will wear a dress instead.
“I’m going to wear a dress,” she said during her interview on the Kelleigh Bannen Show in March. “I hadn’t done the whole dress shopping [thing]…We got some time, but I figured, you know what? I hadn’t worn a dress for him yet, and I guess that would be the day to do it.“
Although she hasn’t confirmed an exact date, Lainey hinted during the CMA Awards that she and Duck are planning to get married in 2026.
Walker Montgomery & Krista Slaubaugh
Country stars Walker Montgomery (son of John Michael Montgomery) and Krista Slaubaugh (one-half of the duo Tigirlily Gold) announced their engagement in May 2025.
Walker proposed next to a pond in the Blue Ridge Mountain forest in North Carolina. “You wait for that moment your whole life, and I just wanted to remember and soak it in as much as possible,” Krista told PEOPLE about the proposal.
Krista said she couldn’t help but cry “happy tears” after Walker asked her to marry him.
“We had known for a while now that we wanted to spend our lives together, so the main feeling was joy and excitement,” she shared. “I couldn’t have imagined it more perfect.”
Zac Brown
Zac Brown and jewelry designer Kendra Scott announced their engagement in July. They shared the news in a statement with PEOPLE, saying, “We are so happy and grateful that we found each other.”
The “Chicken Fried” singer proposed with a pink diamond ring while they were on vacation in Africa. Elephants and hippos were roaming in the background when Zac popped the question.
Kendra described the proposal during an appearance on Jenna & Friends, saying:
“We listened to that song, ‘I May Not Be Your First But I’m Your Last,’… and in that moment he got down on one knee.“
She added, “We both were crying, I don’t even know if we said yes or what happened.”
Darius Rucker
Grand Ole Opry member Darius Rucker announced on October 8 that he and his girlfriend Emily Deahl got engaged.
“Thank you for showing me a level of happiness I have never known,” Darius wrote alongside a photo of him proposing to Emily on a boardwalk. “The day I met you I knew I didn’t want to go another one without you. Now I don’t have to.“
Darius and Emily had just confirmed their relationship one month prior, in September. However, photos on their respective social media pages suggest they have been together for far longer.
Connie Britton
Although Connie Britton isn’t technically a country star, she played one on TV! She portrayed fictional country music superstar Rayna James on the TV series Nashville through its fifth season.
PEOPLE confirmed in October that Connie and her longtime love, TV producer David Windsor, got engaged at some point this year. The outlet shared a photo that showed the couple embracing at the airport, with Connie wearing a new ring on that finger.
Jay Allen
Country singer and The Voice alum Jay Allen announced on Christmas that he proposed to his now-fiancée, Renee Lynn. He shared the news alongside several photos of his proposal in front of the Christmas tree.
“SHE SAID YES!!!!!” Jay wrote. “Merry Christmas to my beautiful @renee_lynn_r. With a sober mind, I can confidently say that I’m in love with you and want a family with you. God only knows what we’ve both been through to get here. Thank you for waiting for me. My gift is you.“
Congratulations to all of the country stars who announced their engagements in 2025!
