Radio DJ Cheryl Miles to wed US boyfriend
Cheryl Miles surprised by diamond ring while vacationing in Perth with American boyfriend of 14 months
From their third date, Cheryl Miles knew her American boyfriend was "the one".
But the local ONE FM 91.3 DJ was still caught by surprise when he popped the question three days before Christmas.
After dinner on the second day of their vacation in Perth, Australia, Mr Matthew Nixon - a 38-year-old vice-president in client service at a bank - got on bended knee with a one-carat diamond ring he had designed himself.
Miles, 42, told The New Paper: "Matthew was so nervous, he was trembling and getting teary-eyed, which made me cry too.
"I did not expect it to happen on this holiday, but we have talked a lot about a future together, so I knew our relationship was heading in this direction."
The radio personality, who helms the weekday 10am to 4pm and the Saturday 6am to 10am slots, added: "Even though we were dressed in flip-flops, shorts and T-shirts, standing under a tree by the roadside, I felt like the luckiest girl alive."
The couple, who have been dating for 14 months, were in the Leederville suburb with Miles' aunt and uncle.
"I celebrated Christmas with them in Perth two years ago with my mother, so it was special for me to revisit Perth, but this time with the love of my life," she said.
She added that Mr Nixon had considered proposing to her on Busselton Jetty, the longest wooden jetty in the world, but he was worried he would drop the ring in the ocean.
Miles, who was single for four years prior to this relationship, said she often teases her fiance for taking so long to find her.
"I decided that the next person would have to be extra special for me to make a commitment.
"Matthew is a true gentleman. Everything about him makes me want to be a better person," she said, adding that they are "eager to try for babies right away".
The couple are hoping for an "autumn wedding" in October in Mr Nixon's hometown of Springfield, Missouri.
They want it "at his parents' backyard with a barbecue, wood-fired pizza and an ice cream bar" and a traditional Catholic church ceremony.
Until then, Miles, a fitness junkie, will be preparing for her big day by undergoing a six-month "bridal boot camp", consisting of swimming, yoga, running and weight training.
She is aiming to lose 10kg by June - just in time for her wedding gown fitting.
Miles, who underwent surgery last year to remove a fibroid and turned to "comfort eating" to cope with the "ordeal", said: "Aside from wanting to lose the extra kilos I gained, I really want to feel healthy and strong again. I was a dancer for many years, and I really miss having good core strength and stamina."
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