Jay popped question as I was having an unholy Roman rant!
When in Rome... Zena was surprised!
FOR PR guru Zena Ross, her partner’s romantic proposal in Rome couldn’t have come as more of a surprise.
In fact if you quiz her on it, she’ll admit she was fuming with him just seconds before he popped the question!
The couple were visiting the Italian capital one December weekend and, with not much time on their hands, Zena was keen to stick to their itinerary which would bring them to the Vatican City.
Except her partner Jay had other plans, ones that threw her off guard when she realised they were 45 minutes away from the Vatican.
‘On December 1, after a quick three hours turnaround from a work trip and back to the airport, my partner Jay and I set off for a city break to Rome,’ Zena told the Mail. ‘Trying to get the tourist bits in early, I booked a trip to Vatican City and, without time for a change of clothes or fix of hair/make-up, we raced across the city, Jay with maps in hand guiding us to where we were to go.
‘When we got as far as a park and he was pointing out “a beautiful lake”, I went full rant, discovering we were in fact 45 minutes in the opposite direction from where we were going,’ she laughed.
‘Jay was encouraging me to walk around the lake the opposite side to the exit, and just as I was telling him my thoughts on
‘After a minute he said I hadn’t yet answered’
his stupidity, he got down on one knee and pulled out a custom-engraved box with a sparkler, asking me to marry him. I couldn’t even speak!
‘After a minute he reminded me I still hadn’t answered, and I said “yes”.’
Jay’s romantic endeavours took the couple to Rome’s Borghese Gardens, the heartshaped park and Zena was touched by how much trouble he went to planning it all.
‘He had asked my mum the night before the trip for my hand in marriage, and he had even gone as far as to get a photographer to capture the moment,’ she said.
The pair drank Prosecco from plastic cups to celebrate, before calling family and friends to share the happy news.
‘It was perfect. Everything was timed and organised and I had no clue… I think that’s what shocked me most!’ added Zena.
This couple’s love story goes back to 2009 when they were introduced through mutual friends. They moved in together three months later.
Fast forward eight years, they were engaged!
‘We did talk about marriage and I knew we would get married, but I always thought I would see the proposal coming,’ said Zena. ‘I instantly regretted the zero effort I made that day when I realised there was a photographer… hair in a hun bun! He loves that he caught me off guard too!’
The loved-up couple welcomed their first child together, a baby boy called Alec, in October 2019. ‘Becoming parents has been wonderful and challenging but Alec has brought so much happiness to our lives,’ said Zena.
The grand plan is to exchange vows at some point this year, with baby Alec by their side.
‘When life is back to normal we will all need a good party – we want to celebrate with our nearest and dearest,’ Zena added.
The trio hope to make a trip to Rome ‘as soon as it’s possible’ too, to revisit Mammy and Daddy’s special place, the ‘heart-shaped park’.