Love Island Australia’s Anna McEvoy announced her engagement to partner Michael Staples in October.
The incredible proposal happened after Michael flew to Bali to surprise Anna while she was on a girls’ holiday. He rocked up on their last day, filling a villa with rose petals and romantic music before popping the question with a stunning diamond ring.
Of course, she said yes and the duo have been in a “love bubble” ever since.
The couple spoke to 9Entertainment about their engagement news, revealing their wedding plans, how they’re feeling and how the proposal almost went very wrong.
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“It felt like a dream, it didn’t feel like reality,” Anna gushed. “I was on a girls’ trip, so I was not expecting to see Michael. It was literally the last thing I thought would happen.
Anna McEvoy and Michael Staples announced their engagement earlier this year. (Instagram)
“We had spoken about potentially getting engaged in the future, and I was like – I won’t be able to be surprised. But he definitely, definitely proved me wrong!”
Michael had told only one of Anna’s friends about the proposal, and they corresponded while he jetted over in secret – but some things didn’t go quite to plan.
“The power in our villa actually went out,” Anna added. “The other three girls knew [about the proposal] at that point, and me and my friend Laura, who had no idea, were like, ‘Oh let’s just stay in. We’ve had a good time, I’m not going out.'”
But desperate not to see their best pal get proposed to in her pajamas, her friends were overly keen to try and sort out the problem.
“The other girls were like, ‘You need to get ready!’ she laughed.
“I was literally in pajamas, wet hair, like, ‘No…I’m good to stay in!'”
Meanwhile, Michael waited anxiously in a nearby location ready to pop the question.
“Only Anna would be an hour late for her own proposal!” he laughed.
“I was just standing there in the heat sweating out. We were almost running out of daylight, and it was touch and go. She got there in the end! Every minute felt like an hour.”
But when she finally walked through the door, Michael added: “I honestly felt I was having an out of body experience. Like I’d completely left earth, and was somewhere else for three or four minutes. Pure magic.”
After the proposal, the gang celebrated with rooftop drinks at a restaurant, and every person cheered as they walked in.
While they don’t have a specific date in mind, they have already pondered having a destination wedding.
“Michael’s half Greek, so I mean…” Anna hinted.
“I feel like TBC, brackets, potentially Greece!” Michael added.
Of the size of the ceremony, Anna said: “I think quite small, with just our very nearest and dearest. Very intimate. We want to have a really fun time with the closest people in our lives.”
Anna, who was previously a model for over 10 years, has already started thinking about dresses.
“The last two years of being a model I was doing all bridal stuff. I was the go to bridal girl,” she said.
“I feel like I’ve tried on my fair share of dresses, and I think it’s ever-changing. But I want a walking down the aisle, first dance dress, and then a party, fun, little more sexy dress. So two different looks.”
On her podcast Where’s Your Head At? Anna previously said that Michael asked her to be his girlfriend after knowing each other for seven-and-a-half weeks.
When asked if he always knew she was ‘The One’, Michael said without hesitation: “Yes! Very, very quickly I was like – yep, this is the one.”
When discussing the secret behind their strong relationship, Anna added: “I think just having fun and being best friends.
“If you’re genuinely enjoying each others’ company and have a lot of respect for each other. If we get into an argument, we still remain respectful.”
“There’s no one in the world I’d rather do anything with,” Michael said.
“It’s literally like having a best friend, with all the perks of a relationship.”
In Pictures
Where the Islanders from Love Island Australia Season 2 are now
Anna McEvoy celebrates her engagement.
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