A Surprise Proposal with Military Precision
For Harry Lloyd, the host of Farmer Wants A Wife, planning a surprise proposal for his girlfriend of four years, Tess Brookman, required meticulous preparation. The special moment took place at Mitchelton Winery in Nagambie, Victoria, on March 14, and it was nothing short of a military-style operation.
“I created a cover story to go out for lunch with one of my friends from university,” Harry explains. “Then I had her call and cancel last-minute. I’d already arranged everything with the staff.”
Tess, who met Harry on the show in 2022, recalls how she was completely unaware of what was coming. “They said, ‘We’ll reshuffle the tables. You guys have a wander.’ And I was like, ‘Oh yeah, that sounds lovely.’ I was none the wiser,” she says with a smile.
The plan unfolded perfectly as Harry took Tess down to the river and proposed there. “I went down on one knee and popped out this ring that was sitting in a little cowboy hat – that was the ring box. So cute, and so Harry, if you know him!” he adds.
A Surprise Moment
Tess admits she was so caught up in the moment that she didn’t even wait for Harry to finish asking the question. “I think I said yes before he’d even asked the question,” she laughs.
But the surprise wasn’t over yet. As they were celebrating, their friend, who Tess thought wasn’t even there, popped out from behind a tree and revealed she had recorded the entire proposal. “It was such a special moment,” Tess says.
A Vintage Ring with a Heartwarming Story
The engagement ring itself has a beautiful backstory. Like their reality TV romance, which has stood the test of time, the ring was meant to be just as special.
“The story about the ring is actually amazing,” Tess tells Woman’s Day. “It’s a beautiful trilogy diamond vintage ring. While we’d never really talked about getting engaged or married, Harry knew that I would love a vintage or antique ring.”
Tess followed several Instagram pages that featured antique jewellery, and Harry did the same. He messaged a jeweller and found a ring that he loved. “A couple of weeks later, the jeweller responded that they had a ring they thought he’d love,” she continues.
“Harry put a deposit on it straight away. An hour later, I saw the ring pop up in my feed and it was the only hint or ring I’ve ever sent to him to be like, ‘Ooh, I think this is really pretty!’”
“And he’d already bought it!” Tess says, laughing. “I remember the moment because he laughed out loud and said, ‘Oh, Tess. Bad luck! It’s already sold. You’ll have to buy another one.’ It was incredibly special. I feel very spoiled.”
Settling into Rural Life
As the couple shows Woman’s Day around their farm in Kyabram, Victoria, it’s clear that Tess has embraced country life. “I never saw myself living in the country, but now I can’t imagine anything different,” she says.
While the couple is enjoying their engagement, they have plans to tie the knot right at home. “I’d be happy in the cow paddock with a barbecue,” says Harry. “A couple of eskies, that’s my dream.”
Tess agrees, adding, “I have no problem with it in the paddock, but we might find a nice marquee and zhoosh it up a bit.”
