Days of Our Lives Star AnnaLynne McCord Just Got Engaged—All the Sweet Details

Well, here’s a little something from the world of daytime TV that might actually make you smile (or at least give you a reason to Google '15-carat diamond ring'). AnnaLynne McCord—the actress playing Cat on Days of Our Lives—is officially off the market. And as engagement stories go, this one definitely isn’t dull.

Almost Didn’t Get to Say 'Yes'

AnnaLynne McCord just confirmed she’s engaged to Danny Cipriani, who, when he’s not starring in her Insta feed, is best known for his rugby career in the UK. Cipriani popped the question back at Christmas, almost four months ago, but they managed to keep it quiet until now. (Frankly, in soap opera terms, that’s forever.)

Apparently, the whole proposal went down at her place in Los Angeles. According to McCord, there were so many emotions she 'cried for 10 minutes straight.' At some point she had to actually answer the question, right? Her reply: 'Yes, but I can’t even speak.' Cipriani’s response nailed it: 'That’s okay, it’s actually a good sign that you are quiet for once.' And then laughter, as you do.

They Both Had Rings—But Who Was Going to Pop the Question?

• Promise rings: Early on, both AnnaLynne and Danny bought each other promise rings, but neither told the other in advance. That’s commitment you can measure in carats.
• The near-miss proposal: McCord says she actually considered beating him to the punch and proposing herself. 'It occurred to me that I should just propose to him,' she told her sisters. Naturally, the sisters voted 'please don’t.' (Smart siblings.)
• Secret plans everywhere: When AnnaLynne floated her proposal idea to Cipriani, his reaction tipped her off that something was up. He confessed he’d already planned to propose—except his plan involved a trip to Cambodia.
• The actual engagement: Before they even made it out of LA, AnnaLynne noticed some extra sneaky behavior between Cipriani and her sister Rachel—lots of whispering, mysterious plans, and a supposed 'movie night' she should get dolled up for. (Apparently, McCord doesn’t dress up just for a movie, which makes her even more relatable.)
• The big moment: She finally walked downstairs to find rose petals everywhere, a heart shape on the floor, and Danny on one knee in the middle of it with a ring, asking her to step inside. If you’re imagining a Hallmark Channel movie, you’re honestly not far off.

The Ring—Prepare to Be Stunned

The ring in question is absolutely no joke—a huge, 15-carat, emerald-cut diamond. I’m not sure what daytime soaps pay, but even for Hollywood, that’s a massive rock.

'I cried for 10 minutes straight... 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.'

Considering these two had both thought about proposing (and already had the rings to prove it) before he actually went down on one knee, I’d say their commitment’s the real deal. But honestly, after this story, I need to see what their actual wedding ends up looking like. If they play it safe after this kind of dramatic buildup, I’ll be stunned.