Country singer/songwriter Walker Montgomery is officially engaged to Tigirlily Gold’s Krista Slaubaugh. The milestone news was announced exclusively with PEOPLE on Wednesday, May 28.
The lovebirds were on a surprise getaway to North Carolina when Walker, son of country music icon John Michael Montgomery, popped the question to Slaubaugh, one half of the country duo Tigirlily Gold with her sister Kendra, on Monday, May 26.
Slaubaugh appeared to be unassuming that the big moment was on the horizon while they made the drive from Nashville to the “foggy and romantic” Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, North Carolina just one day prior. After enjoying a massage, booked by her boyfriend of nearly two years, she was told to be ready “by 4 [p.m.].” Walker then drove them to what they described as an “absolutely beautiful” and “cute little cottage-looking house,” known as “The Farm” located in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The Moment Of Realization
The female songstress finally started to realize what was happening as they began strolling down a stone path around the property that led them to a stunning pond.
“I was overwhelmed in the best way,” recalled Kendra. “You wait for that moment your whole life, and I just wanted to remember and soak it in as much as possible.”
Walker admits he was “a little nervous” approaching the big question. After months of planning, he wanted everything to go “perfectly.”
As soon as they reached the dock on the pond, Krista finally understood the reason for her other half’s particularly kind words and the “huge bouquet of flowers” seen in the back of the photos.
Krista said she “knew what was about to happen,” which caused her “stomach started to tighten.” The “Shoot Tequila” singer even admitted to the fact that she “did black out for a bit” when Walker got down on one knee.
She Said “Yes”
Walker then popped the question. “He said, ‘Krista, I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?’” She “immediately” said “yes” and followed up with a kiss before he slid the elongated, radiant-cut diamond from The Diamond Gallery in Lexington, Kentucky on her finger.
“It’s elegant but still is modern and feels like me,” Krista said of her new jewelry. “With the gold band, it’s a ring that 40 years later I will still love just as much. Also, it’s so shiny!! He did GREAT.”
Looking back on the moment, Krista recalled feeling nothing but “excitement and joy.” She explained the pair have known for “awhile now” that they wanted to be together forever and she “couldn’t have imagined” a more perfect way for them to cement their future.
Walker added, “Almost immediately afterwards the sun started shining down on the dock by the pond that we were standing on. It was perfect!”
Walker And Krista’s Love Story
The couple’s love story began in the fall of 2023 when Walker Montgomery very openly admitted to being attracted to Krista while speaking with fans before a show in Kansas City, Missouri.
“There was a group of ladies there that asked him during his meet-and-greet if he knew Tigirlily Gold, and he said, ‘Ya. Tell the tall one I’m in love with her.’ (I’m the tall one to clarify),” Krista shared. “This message got to my mom’s friend, my mom, and then to me. I slid into his DMs pretty shortly after and said, ‘How’s Kansas City lately?’ “
“I was pretty obsessed from the very beginning to say the least,” Walker admited. “I’d never met someone so beautiful and elegant.”
They went out on their first date just a few short weeks later and the rest is history. Walker remembers laughing nearly the entire time and feeling an immediate connection. By Valentine’s Day, Krista was already sure Walker was the one for her.
“I had never felt so understood and safe by another person, and he had written me a note that made me happy cry,” she says. “It all clicked in that instant. This man was going to be my husband.”
Their journey together is just getting started, and it’s clear they have a lifetime of love and happiness ahead.
The post Walker Montgomery And Tigirlily Gold’s Krista Slaubaugh Are Engaged appeared first on Country Now.