![Ashton Pienaar from Below Deck Season 6 and 7.](https://www.monstersandcritics.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Ashton-BD.jpg)
Below Deck alum, Ashton Pienaar has opened up his decision to propose to his now fiance, Sarah McAlpine Cooper, in an airport.
Earlier this week, Ashton revealed he was engaged.
The yachtie turned fitness trainer shared his proposal, which took place in an airport.
Although the video made it appear it was a sudden moment as the two were coming back from somewhere, looks can be deceiving.
Ashton has opened up about the special moment, sharing heartfelt details about the magical moment.
It turns out it was all part of his master plan to catch his soon-to-be wife, Sarah, off guard.
Ashton Pienaar explains airport proposal
Taking to Instagram, Ashton got real about his proposal. The Below Deck alum shared it was not a spur-of-the-moment proposal.
Instead, it was carefully planned out. Sarah was dropping Ashton off at the airport for what she thought was him going away for six months.
“The truth is, I really had planned to go away this year… But the last year was a big wake up call. I realised that being with this person made me more happy that any trip overseas could. The next step became increasingly obvious,” Ashton wrote in part of his lengthy caption.
He began to plan the perfect moment and chose the airport because that’s where they met. As Sarah was dropping Ashton off to get ready to say goodbye, he suggested they take a selfie in the spot they met.
Then Ashton gave Sarah the surprise of her life.
“When we got to the exact right spot, I told her that I would stay with her in America if she answered one question correctly: “Will you marry me?”?,” he expressed.
Ashton didn’t leave for his trip. The happy couple left the airport together and went to share the news with their loved ones.
Who is Below Deck alum Ashton Pienaar’s fiance, Sarah McAlpine Cooper?
Although Sarah and Ashton have been dating for a while, he tends to keep their love story private. Ashton only features her on his Instagram account sporadically.
Earlier this month, Ashton shared a picture of the couple enjoying a friend’s wedding.
This summer, Ashton used Instagram to share a photo of him and Sarah enjoying some time at the beach.
Until he shared their engagement news, Ashton had never tagged Sarah or mentioned her name in any of his Instagram shares of them.
Sarah’s Instagram account is private. However, her bio does reveal that she’s an interior designer and lives in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Ashton Pienaar from Below Deck found the perfect way to ask Sarah McAlpine Cooper to marry him that honored where they met, in the airport.
Below Deck is currently on hiatus. Seasons 1-9 are airing streaming on Peacock.