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My Big Fat Fabulous Life's Whitney Thore Engaged to Jake Beaudoin 3 Days After Confirming Romance
To be quite honest, Whitney Way Thore never assumed she'd feel some type of way about one particular F-word.
And yet a mere few months after celebrating her milestone birthday in 2024, "I'm feeling real feelings about being 40 and unmarried and no kids," she acknowledged in an interview with E! News that June. "When your closest friends are all partnered, I just feel more alone, and that's hard."
But as the star of a TLC series called My Big Fat Fabulous Life, she was determined to deliver.
By July 2025, she had committed to using a sperm donor, explaining to E!, that "without a partner, it really felt like the literal last option that I had not explored yet."
And she wasn't letting go of her dream where-she'll-be-in-five-years vision, telling E! it'd be, "two kids, three cats, two poodles and a man who loves me."
So, a trip to the pet store may now be in order.
A mere three days after hard-launching her latest romance—with fellow North Carolinian Jake Beaudoin—he "has very quickly graduated from boyfriend to fiancé," she revealed in a TLC Instagram post. "We're getting married, and we're so excited."
As for the proposal, overlooking the Blue Ridge Parkway, the 42-year-old was so surprised, she joked, "I was wearing pigtails and a bandana."
Of course, Thore is fully ready to tie the knot with Beaudoin, having endured her share of relationships that were on the for worse end of the spectrum.
Take her first engagement to Chase Severino. Not seven months after he slid a yellow sparkler onto the fourth finger of her left hand in October 2019, she discovered that he was expecting a baby with another woman.
"I thought, 'Lord, I will never date anyone ever again for the rest of my life,'" Thore recounted to E! News a year later. "It was amazing how quickly I was able to heal from all that."
Because by that point, she had said "oui" to an unidentified French graphic designer she'd met online, sharing that things "went pretty quickly from tutor to suitor" once she divulged her crush.
But after she discovered they weren't speaking the same language—"The major issue with the French man was that he does not want a public life," the reality star explained to Us Weekly—she returned to the drawing board.
Whitney Way Thore/Instagram
Or, rather, the dating apps.
While she was aiming for one date per month, she lamented to E! in 2024, "In Greensboro, the pickings are so slim, it's tragic."
So, after years of swiping left on brother Hunter Thore ("I always see him!" she joked to E! in 2023), pairing with a fellow local was, well, fabulous.
And by the time she posted a glimpse of the hike that ended on bended knee, she had already agreed to continue their journey indefinitely.
"It was truly perfect," she raved to People of the proposal, which included a rose petal-strewn celebration with loved ones and a stunning oval diamond. "The ring is absolutely beautiful, and there's a special story behind it that means so much to us."
And now, she continued, "We're thrilled to start this next chapter and build our future together as husband and wife."
Perhaps Mom and Dad, as well.
Because she had long envisioned herself settled down with a few tiny Thores of her own.
With the one-two punch of potential fertility issues stemming from her polycystic ovarian syndrome ("I wasn't taking precautions really ever and I never accidentally got pregnant," she told E!, "I feel like that's not the best sign") and her hesitations about single parenting, she'd accepted the idea that she might be dancing solo indefinitely.
"I'm thinking if I can't meet the right man, or even a man, what are the chances that I'm ready to have a baby in two or three years?" she reasoned to E! in 2024. "It's scary. It really is. And I am just trying to assume it won't happen, so that I can come to terms with that. And then if it does, that'll be a nice surprise."
But while she had some qualms about picking the right sperm donor, "I had such a wonderful childhood," she reasoned, "and I just think of all the ways that I want to replicate that."
And she knew the right guy wouldn't be turned off by some vials in her freezer.
"I definitely wouldn't say it immediately, because I already have a hard enough time getting dates," she joked to E!. But if several dates in she found herself thinking, "like, 'Oh, I might have a future with this person, that's probably the kind of thing I would talk about then."
After all, she predicted, "The journey is far from over. And I'm very excited about the future."
As she enters her bridal era, check out more stars who recently said yes to forever.
Cindy Ord/VF26/Getty Images for Vanity Fair
Alessandra Ambrosio & Buck Palmer
The supermodel announced her engagement on Aug. 11 after the jewelry designer popped the question during a beach vacation.
"I’d choose you in this life and every life," she captioned photos of the proposal on Instagram. Here’s to forever, my love."
Michael Allio/Instagram
Michael Allio & Jadé Marie Chapman
Will you accept this ring? The Bachelor Nation star got engaged to the makeup artist after three years together, including spending one year in a long-distance romance.
"We crossed the country over and over just to find our way back to each other, never knowing that one day there wouldn’t be a return flight waiting," Michael wrote on Instagram Aug. 6. "And somewhere between all those miles, we built a life. We collected moments, crossed milestones, became a family, and watched two separate places on a map slowly become one home."
The Hapa Blonde/GC Images
Gus Kenworthy & Andrew Rigby
The Olympic skier proposed to the finance executive during a vacation off the coast of Mallorca, Spain, telling People in an Aug. 4 interview, "I told Andrew I was taking him on a little adventure."
“I organized for a picnic blanket to be waiting for us with a pitcher of margaritas—extra sweet because that’s how Andrew orders them,” he recalled. “After the proposal, we got back on the dinghy—but instead of going back to the mainland, it took us out to a chartered boat. Six of our friends were hiding on it, waiting to surprise Andrew and celebrate with us!"
Karis Cameron/Instagram
Karis Cameron & Ty Wood
The Off Campus actress found a cool actor man who contains multitudes, saying "yes" when the Haunting in Connecticut proposed after six years of dating.
As she quipped on Instagram Aug. 1, "Fian-say what???"
Grace Kinstler/Instagram
Grace Kinstler & Joseph Wheatley
The American Idol alum was surprised with an engagement ring from her partner of nearly seven years on July 31 during a romantic proposal at Boston Public Garden.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Madison Beer & Justin Herbert
On July 28, the “Make You Mine” singer and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback announced their engagement after nearly one year of dating.
Cindy Ord/MG26/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Sam Smith & Christian Cowan
After three years of dating, the "Unholy" singer confirmed their engagement to the fashion designer in a New York times interview published July 28.
Jason Tartick/Instagram
Jason Tartick & Kathryn Hurley
The Bachelor Nation alum and dog rescue founder announced their engagement seven months after going Instagram-official.
Alongside pictures of Tartick's European proposal, the pair wrote on Instagram July 13, “Right where we belong.”
Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Caesars Entertainment
James Kennedy & Jordan Meyers
The Vanderpump Rules alum and pregnant girlfriend announced they were engaged three weeks after confirming they are expecting their first child together.
“I love you, adventures with you forever and ever," Kennedy wrote on Instagram June 30. Thank you for making me the luckiest guy in the world.”
Molly Gillihan/Instagram
Ryan Lochte & Molly Gillihan
The Olympic swimmer confirmed that he and Gillihan had gotten engaged after one year of dating.
“I'm on cloud 9 she said yes,” Lochte told TMZ. “I’m happy this is my new beginning, and I couldn't do it without her."
Kelsey Anderson/Instagram
Joey Graziadei & Kelsey Anderson
More than two years after his televised engagement on the season 28 finale of The Bachelor, Joey once again popped the question to Kelsey—this time during a romantic trip in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
"SHE SAID YES (again)," he wrote on Instagram May 26. "Proposing again meant taking something that was already extraordinary and making it fully our own. It means the world to be able to reaffirm our promise and love to one another just the two of us."
John Shearer/WireImage
Natalie McQueen & Josh Groban
The English actress and musician announced their engagement in April 2026, with a sweet glimpse at Josh's Disneyland proposal.
"MY BEST FRIEND SAID YES!!!" Josh wrote in an Instagram post. "Sharing this life with you is my happiest place."
Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Raising Cane's
Gracie Hunt & Derek Green
After one year of dating and nearly a decade of friendship, the daughter of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt shared she was engaged to the son of NFL legend Trent Green in an April 4 Instagram post, writing, "It was always you."
Alana Paolucci/Instagram
Alana Paolucci & Sebastian Sartor
A fiancée has entered the villa. The Love Island USA alum got engaged to her longtime partner after he proposed in Paris, she announced on March 19.
Madison Myers/Instagram
Madison Myers & David Trimble
Nearly two years after the Married at First Sight couple's cheating scandal air on the dating show, they got engaged in Chicago during St. Patrick's Day festivities.
Courtesy of Leonard Fournette
Jaime Jones & Leonard Fournette
The NFL star of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers proposed to his longtime love Jaime Jones in a beautiful and intimate moment at Davis Islands Beach in Tampa, Florida. Surrounded by rose petals and large “MARRY ME” letters, the proposal was thoughtfully planned and an unforgettable moment.
The custom designed Brilliant Earth engagement ring features a 4.04-carat radiant diamond set in platinum, with marquise diamonds that wrap elegantly above and beneath the center stone.
Rebecca Yale Photography
Allison Holker & Adam Edmunds
The tech exec surprised the dancer at her 38th birthday party.
"It was the most romantic night of my life!" she wrote on Instagram. "I am so in love with you Adam. Baby, I am forever grateful for you and the impact you have had in my life and my kids lives. I am a better person because of you. You helped me find me again and showed me how to love. Every morning I wake up I feel safe knowing you are My person at my side. You and your kids coming into our lives has been the biggest blessing."
VCG/VCG via Getty Images
Aryna Sabalenka & Georgios Frangulis
The entrepreneur proposed to the tennis star in romantic, rose-laden proposal in March.
Aryna captioned the joint announcement, “You & me, forever. 3.3.26.”
Jena Malone/Instagram
Jena Malone & Jack Buckley
The Hunger Games actress announced her engagement to the fellow actor, who she described as “a dream come true.”
“My soulmate asked me to marry him,” she wrote on Instagram Feb. 11. “With every lifetime, every moment I have in front of me I said yes.”
Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images for The Red Sea International Film Festival
Halle Berry & Van Hunt
The Oscar winner revealed she recently got engaged to her longtime boyfriend during a February appearance on The Tonight Show.
“There’s some confusion,” she said. “It's going around that I, that my guy Van Hunt—I've been dating him now for almost six years—well, there's some confusion that he asked to marry me and I said no.”
However, “I did not say no,” Halle affirmed. “We just don't have a date, but of course I said yes, I would marry him!”
Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
Dove Cameron & Damiano David
The Liv and Maddie alum revealed her ring on Jan. 3, captioning their news, "my favourite part of being alive [ring emoji] happy new year."
Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Gina Kirschenheiter & Travis Mullen
The Real Housewives of Orange County star got engaged to her fiancé during a New Year's Eve trip to Big Bear, Calif.
"I was in complete shock!" she told People in a Jan. 7 interview. "My nervous system was trying to catch up to what just happened in this magical moment and I was also trying to process the iceberg that was being presented to me as well! I of course said 'yes,' and melted into what was the sweetest kiss I’ve ever felt!"
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