Heavy/Getty Newly engaged Zooey Deschanel and Drew Scott
Given the empire the “Property Brothers” have built over the last decade, it should probably come as no surprise that Jonathan Scott, one-half of HGTV‘s power duo with his twin brother Jonathan, doesn’t do anything small — including his recent wedding proposal to actress Zooey Deschanel after four years of dating.
According to People, Scott proposed on August 13, 2023, during a family trip through Europe with a little help from Deschanel’s two children, eight-year-old Elsie and six-year-old Charlie, whom she shares with ex-husband Jacob Pechenik. But the kids didn’t actually know about the big moment until it was happening, the couple told People in a new cover story for the magazine.
Had Scott informed the kids ahead of time, “they would have told me immediately,” Deschanel laughed in a video of their interview with People as the couple spilled details of the proposal, from Scott’s months-long planning to the unique engagement ring.
Jonathan Scott Chose ‘Magical’ Location With ‘Magnificent’ Views for Proposal
Seated together on a couch at the Los Angeles home they renovated together, Scott, 45, and Deschanel, 43, said that though they came from “different worlds” in entertainment, they hit it off right away. The two met while filming a “Carpool Karaoke” segment with their siblings for “The Late Late Show With James Corden.”
“Our personalities are so compatible,” Deschanel told People. “We identify as nerds, we’ll have you know.”
From obsessing over home decor to mastering escape rooms on their date nights, the pair say they’re detail-oriented and fun-loving, which also perfectly describes the surprise proposal Scott planned for months, knowing their European vacation would include time in Scotland.
Proposing there was important to Scott, whose dad emigrated from Scotland to Canada when he was a teen, per People. According to Glasgow World, the family regularly visited the area as the Scott brothers — including the twins’ older brother J.D. — were growing up. Coincidentally, Deschanel also has roots in Scotland.
A few days after their engagement, Scott posted Instagram photos of he and Deschanel visiting the towns of Carluke and Lanark and wrote, “Some might say it’s an Outlander love story, but unlike Claire and Jamie, our families are both from Scottish villages only 15 minutes apart.”
Scott opted to propose at his favorite Scottish castle, Edinburgh, calling it “such a beautiful, magical place.” But he wanted the moment to be extra-special, so after getting Deschanel’s parents’ blessing — whom, he told People, said they already considered him family — Scott got to work on planning the proposal.
“I’m good at surprises, like I’m pretty good at figuring things out and logistics,” he told People, adding that he had to decide who he could trust to tell that he was planning to propose without it getting back to her. “I tried to keep the circle very small.”
Deschanel thought nothing of Scott wanting to tour Edinburgh, so she was “clueless” that he had planned anything extra, she told People.
“So, we were the last people on the property,” Scott explained about the moment he proposed. “It was the end of the day, everyone else was gone, it was just us. And I had a pipe band playing on this one raised platform area that has the most magnificent view.”
“And we’re walking along,” he continued, “and I said, ‘Oh, they’re actually filming a promo for the castle, if you want to check it out, you can.’ And so we’re walking along and Zooey’s just sort of grabbing some film (with her camera) ’cause they’re playing ‘Scotland the Brave’ and all the classics.”
As they stepped onto the platform, Deschanel said, “All of a sudden this guitarist steps forward and starts playing ‘Harvest Moon,’ which I was like, ‘Wait a second, what?’ Because that’s, like, a special song for us. So I was like, ‘Uhhh, I think something’s happening!”
Scott interjected, “And then the kids pulled a banner out that said, ‘Zooey, will you marry me?’ The funny thing, too, is…when Elsie turned around a read it, that was the first time she learned and she immediately goes, ‘Ohhh! Did you just get married!?'”
The couple said they explained what being engaged means and that Elsie was thrilled to learn she could be a flower girl in the wedding.
“It was really sweet to have them there, too,” Scott said, and Deschanel agreed, saying, “It was so special.”
Zooey Deschanel Loves Her Unique Engagement Ring, But Jonathan Scott Didn’t Get the Size Right
Deschanel told People that her now-fiancé nailed the surprise proposal and got her the ring of her dreams — featuring clear, pink and purple stones in a flower pattern — but the one detail he missed was getting it in her correct size.
“I told him I liked this ring a long time ago,” Deschanel told People of how Scott wound up getting such a unique design for her. “I was like, ‘This is my favorite ring ever.'”
“Yeah, she had mentioned it a while ago,” Scott said, adding that he “immediately screen-grabbed” the image and kept it for over a year.
“I just didn’t want just a diamond ring,” Deschanel explained. “I mean, that’s nice. But, like, I like color, you know? That’s why I was like, ‘I don’t know why more people don’t do, like, other colors.’ There’s so many different, beautiful gems and stones. It’s fun to have something different. I mean, I love diamonds, too. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not turning down the diamonds! But I like the fun colors and I like pink and purple.”
Deschanel’s not the only one who’s chosen a colorful engagement ring recently. According to a 2022 study by The Knot, though 85 percent of engagement rings have white diamonds, colorful stones are growing in popularity.
As much as she loves her ring, Deschanel told People she couldn’t wear it at first because it was too big. The ring has already been resized once, she said, explaining that she has “small fingers,” but still needs an adjustment.
Scott admitted, “I measured so badly.”
He said he tried to base it on other jewelry she had at home, but that didn’t work, so he asked the jeweler to guesstimate. Deschanel said the original ring was a 5.5, which was later decreased to a size 5, but is still loose.
“I’m a four-and-three-quarters,” she said, laughing. “That’s my ring size in case anybody wants to buy me a ring.”
“Better not,” Scott quipped, waving his finger at the camera. “She’s off the market.”
The couple has not set a wedding date or started planning, but said they love to entertain and throw parties, so they’re looking forward to figuring out the details together.