"I knew we were soulmates, I knew we were meant to be together," the '90210' alum tells PEOPLE
Credit: AnnaLynne McCord is Engaged to Danny Cipriani
NEED TO KNOW
- AnnaLynne McCord is engaged to Danny Cipriani, PEOPLE can exclusively reveal
- The proposal took place on Christmas Day at the actress’ home in Los Angeles
- The British former rugby player popped the question with a 15-carat diamond ring
Wedding bells will soon be ringing for AnnaLynne McCord!
The 90210 alum, 38, is engaged to Danny Cipriani. AnnaLynne exclusively reveals to PEOPLE that the former rugby player, 38, proposed nearly four months ago at her Los Angeles home on Christmas Day, when they were surrounded by loved ones.
"I cried for 10 minutes straight," AnnaLynne recalls. "At some point, I realized I had to answer. I said, 'Yes, but I can't even speak,' and he replied, 'That's okay, it's actually a good sign that you are quiet for once.' Then, we're all laughing."
Credit: Credit – AMcK/Corday Productions
Marriage had been on both Annalynne and Cipriani's minds for a while. Unbeknownst to either of them, they separately bought each other promise rings as a symbol of their commitment over Thanksgiving in Arizona.
At the time, Annalynne considered popping the question herself, but she decided not to after telling her sisters, Rachel McCord and Angel McCord, and Cipriani.
"It occurred to me that I should just propose to him and I told my sisters. Both really questioned this choice, and they strongly discouraged it," Annalynne says. "I decided to tell him that was my plan, but then the look on his face convinced me not to, and he fessed up and told me he had plans to propose to me on our upcoming trip to Cambodia."
Credit: AMcK/Corday Productions
Ahead of the trip, Annalynne was cooking dinner at home when she noticed "the Scorpios" (Cipriani and Rachel) were "whispering" about something. She figured it was tied to the Cambodia getaway, but Cipriani and Rachel said they were all taking Annalynne's nephew to a movie and they insisted she go change and put makeup on.
"I said, 'No, I'm not getting dolled up just to go to a movie,' but my sisters insisted," the Nip/Tuck alum remembers. "Suddenly, they are rushing me and announcing they are leaving. I come downstairs and there are rose petals everywhere and a rose petal heart. Danny, down on one knee with a ring, waiting for me to step into the heart."
Cipriani, who announced his retirement from rugby in January 2024, proposed with a 15-carat, emerald-cut diamond with seven round accent diamonds set in the band on each side, all in yellow gold. (The couple previously looked at engagement rings together in London last year.)
Angel organized it so Annalynne's closest friends could witness the proposal over Zoom.
The engagement celebration continued between the couple and their "chosen families" during their getaway to Cambodia and then India — which they describe as their favorite places in the world.
During the trip, Annalynne met up with others at centers for survivors of human trafficking that she visits multiple times a year with The Love Storm, which, per its website, is "a global initiative raising awareness of human trafficking in an educational and empowering way."
Credit: AMcK/Corday Productions
"When I look at Danny, he's home to me," Annalynne tells PEOPLE. "I think he is a home that I never knew I needed and that I didn't feel I deserved. The Cancer, sappy side of me is like, 'Oh my God, I get to love him!' Just like the song by Ruelle, 'I Get to Love You' — which I will walk down the aisle to!"
She continues, "I get to love him! It's the best thing that I'll ever do. And there's the other side of me, the overachiever, Type A personality that says, 'I was right! I win! Yes!' Because I called this 10 years ago. I knew we were soulmates, I knew we were meant to be together. I was so sure, and I was not wrong."
Cipriani, for his part, "loves" that Type A part of his bride-to-be. "She's my crazy girl!" he tells PEOPLE.
Annalynne and Cipriani first met on the dating app Raya about a decade ago. They dated "on and off" for a few years and split in 2020, before later reconnecting in 2024.
"We met 10 years ago but were on and off for a good four years, and in an open relationship, because he was playing rugby overseas and I was filming in L.A.," AnnaLynne says. "We separated in 2020 and then found each other again in February of 2024."
Credit: AMcK/Corday Productions
The actress previously opened up about this time period in their relationship to PEOPLE in May 2024.
"We were terrible to each other. For four years, on and off, and we fully went our separate ways. He went into a marriage. We both ended up in a very spiritual journey as a result of what we ended up with next, and we reconnected and [decided] to be [just] friends," she said at the time. "All of my friends were like, 'Yeah right, you guys.' "
In the end, Annalynne's friends were right, as the pair's friendship period "lasted about 48 hours." Annalynne joked that her "clothes evaporate" around Cipriani, so they quickly became "more than friends."
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The two made their romance public in April 2024, when the retired athlete posted photos of them embracing on Instagram.
He wrote in his caption, "My Miracle… Loving you is the easiest thing in the world ❤️🥰🌟✨😍." AnnaLynne commented, “Heyyyy!! That’s my line!!! 🙂 I can’t believe… it’s YOU. Thank you for showing up as you do in life. Thank you for choosing to walk through the fire."
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