Today host Hoda Kotb has announced that she is engaged to her long-time partner Joel Schiffman, revealing that he popped the question while the couple was enjoying a romantic trip in Mexico this past weekend.
The 55-year-old shared the joyful news live on the Today show on Monday morning, happily showing off her engagement ring to her co-hosts after revealing that she had a ‘secret’ to share with them.
Hoda and financier Joel, 61, have been together for more than six years, having celebrated their anniversary in June, and have two adopted children together, Haley Joy, two, and seven-month-old Hope Catherine.
Congratulations! Hoda Kotb has revealed she is engaged to long-time partner Joel Schiffman
Surprise! The 55-year-old revealed that Joel, 61, popped the question while they were enjoying a romantic dinner on the beach during a recent vacation
The TV host revealed that Joel popped the question to her while the couple was on vacation and enjoying a romantic dinner on the beach, revealing that he ‘said some beautiful things’ before getting down on one knee and asking her: ‘Will you be my wife.’
Sparkler: Hoda showed off her ring on the show, revealing a cushion cut diamond that is surrounded by blue stones, likely sapphires
Hoda’s announcement left her fellow Today stars in a frenzy of on-air excitement, with Jenna Bush Hager, Craig Melvin, Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker all leaping out of their seats as she shared the surprise news shortly after 8:30am on Monday morning.
‘I have to tell you something – a friend of mine, a friend of ours, asked me to let you guys in on a secret,’ Hoda started out her announcement.
‘I’ll give you her initials, her initials are Hoda Kotb and she’s engaged,’ the mother-of-two continued while flashing her ring – leaving Today stars open-mouthed in shock.
‘What are you talking about?!’ Savannah screamed, while Craig said of her ring: ‘When did you put that on? Have you had that on the whole time?!’
‘No, I had it in my bra, I just put it on,’ Hoda confessed, before adding: ‘Joel proposed in Mexico.’
Partners: The couple celebrated their six year anniversary in June
Family: Hoda and Joel have two adopted daughters together, Haley Joy, two, and seven-month-old Hope Catherine
‘It was a good trip, she’s engaged!’ Jenna exclaimed, before all of the Today stars began admiring Hoda’s beautiful ring – a large cushion cut diamond surrounded by blue stones that look like sapphires.
However while the proposal itself was certainly romantic, Hoda admitted that she was caught completely unawares by her partner, who waited until the very end of the dinner before popping his important question.
‘We went for our usual vacation we ended up having a little dinner on the beach, and I was like… we were done with the dinner and I was eating the churros, like licking the bottom of the bowl, and he was like: “I have something else I’d like to say,”‘ Hoda shared of the special moment.
‘He said some beautiful things and then he got down on one knee and he said, “Will you be my wife?” And I said, “Yes!”‘
The couple’s engagement comes just over five months after they celebrated their six-year anniversary together, having first met one another at an event, where Joel asked her to sign an autograph.
‘I said, “Who should I write it to?”‘ she revealed of their first meeting back in 2015 during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live. ‘And he said, “How about to me?” And I said, “How ’bout to you?”‘
The couple’s first date was then engineered in part by Joanne LaMarca Mathisen, who is now the executive producer on Today with Hoda and Jenna; she revealed earlier this year that it was her husband who convinced Hoda to go to the event in the first place, where she then met Joel, who was a friend of Joanne’s.
From there, the couple arranged to go on their first date, and the rest is history.
Joyful: The Today anchor couldn’t wipe the smile off her face as she proudly showed off her ring to her co-hosts, who were left open-mouthed in shock after her announcement
Stunned: Hoda’s fellow Today stars couldn’t contain their excitement as she shared her news, with all of them screaming with happiness at the announcement
Up in the air! Savannah Guthrie (center) actually leaped out of her seat as Hoda proclaimed, ‘I’m engaged’
Happy as can be: Hoda looked thrilled to have pulled off such a big surprise, and she confessed that her heart had been ‘pounding’ all morning as she waited to share the news