Jon Gosselin announces engagement to Stephanie Lebo and reveals details of emotional proposal
JON Gosselin has announced his engagement to Stephanie Lebo in an emotional proposal.
The former Jon and Kate Plus Eight star, 47, who has been dating Stephanie Lebo, 37, for more than three years, got down on one knee after months of planning.
The TV favourite shared a photo of him kissing Stephanie as they shared the happy news with their fans on social media.
Stephanie then showed off her huge diamond engagement ring in a second picture.
She captioned it: “Of course I said yes,” with a love heart emoji.
Lebo’s dad shared a gushing tribute following the proposal: “You don’t know how long I waited for this day for you, and there was a time where I thought it was never going to happen for you.
“I’m so very happy for you and Jon.
“My best advice is never stop being in love. Love comes first.”
Last month, Jon told the Sun that he had spent months plotting his proposal and wanted it to be an “intimate” surprise.
Months of planning
He caught up with The U.S. Sun at author Thea de Sousa’s launch party for The Unofficial Vanderpump Rules Ultimate Trivia Book at SUR in West Hollywood this week.
Jon DJ’d the event, powered by CellSound, and dished the details on what his engagement and wedding would look like after he was given a second chance at love.
He said, “I’m definitely popping the question; she has no clue. I have it all formulated in my mind.
“It’s funny because we’re both tricksters and like to play tricks on each other, so she’ll know when it happens.”
When asked if he’d already been ring shopping, he said, “Oh yes. I’m very detail-oriented and specific about what I want, and what she wants, obviously, and it took me a while.
“I didn’t know there were so many options, and there are… because the last time I got engaged, I was like 20 years old.”
He and his ex-wife, Kate, tied the knot in 1999, and she gave birth to twins Madelyn “Mady” Kate and Cara Nicole on October 8, 2000.
She later gave birth to their sextuplets on May 10, 2004: sons Aaden Jonathan, Collin Thomas, and Joel Kevin and daughters Alexis Faith, Hannah Joy, and Leah Hope.
Jon admits marriage this time will be very different for him, explaining, “I’m marrying my best friend, I’ve never had that before.
“I always thought it was pressured. It’s different after TV because I never thought I’d open up to someone and be so honest.”
He said his first proposal was very private, but this time he’d like family involved, but it’ll still be intimate and “heartwarming.”
Jon went on, “It’s definitely love. I’m getting on the airplane and texting her, buying the wifi.”
He then joked, “I would never do that I’m Korean, that never happens.”
Asked if she supports his career as he’s regularly traveling, he said, “I believe so yeah! She texted me tonight, ‘I love you, have fun.’
“I think our wedding, it’s up to her, a more intimate wedding and a bigger reception, but I don’t know I’m just going along for the ride, I’m 47.”
Thinking about a honeymoon, he added, “I just need a vacation where I don’t have to work.
“All my friends are like, ‘Oh, you’re going to LA, oh you’re going here, you’re going here’. I’m like, ‘Dude, I gotta work, like, I haven’t slept in 20 hours’.”
Jon’s children, Collin and Hannah, lived with him and remain close to their father now they have flown the nest.
He remains estranged from his six other children; Alexis, Aaden, Leah, and Joel, and older twins Mady and Cara.
He previously revealed he would love to reunite with his family and would be happy for Stephanie and his ex-wife Kate to start speaking to each other.