Daniella Monet is gushing over her Christmas day engagement!
The Victorious alum posted to Instagram that Dec. 25 was the "Best day of my life," and ET has the scoop on the magical moment she was proposed to by her longtime boyfriend, Andrew Gardner.
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Monet tells ET that the 29-year-old licensed CPA, who works at a start-up and co-owns a small headwear line called Gafton, proposed on Christmas morning after they opened presents together with their dogs.
"He blindfolded me and walked me over to the sink where I stood as he positioned the dogs perfectly. When he told me I could remove my blindfold and look out the window, I didn’t know what I was looking at," she recalls. "It took me a few seconds but I eventually saw a bow on the tree, and a few seconds after that, I noticed the carved letters 'MARRY ME?' My stomach sunk and the tears came instantly."
"I was so nervous to turn around, and of course when I did, he was there on one knee with a wooden box in his hand," she adds.
Though she hasn't shared a photo of her ring yet, the 28-year-old actress says it is "stunning." "I always imagined something very simple and understated," she explains. "It’s a little more than that, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it."
Though the couple is thinking "intimate" for the wedding and working on nuptial details, the focus right now is enjoying their time as an engaged couple.
"We want to celebrate our engagement with all of our family friends at our home," Monet says, noting she'd love a photo booth, vegan food, a bar and possibly an ice cream truck at the engagement party. "Some would say this has been a long time coming, so I’m not going to waste any excuse to not celebrate this."
In fact, the wedding ceremony itself makes Monet a bit nervous. "Even though I’ve grown up in the entertainment industry, the idea of being the center of attention makes me so nervous, but I know the second it’s just us up there, everything will feel right," she tells ET.
Açaí bowl, what’s up? I love this stadium. #BOLTUP @chargers let’s goooo! 💙⚡️
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The pair was set up in May 2011 by Monet's best friend, Sheva. They talked via Facebook before meeting in person that August, and they've been together ever since -- though it wasn't entirely smooth sailing during those first three months of chatting!
"He was witty, smart, and the perfect amount of persistent, but believe it or not, I actually stood him up a couple times because I was nervous to meet him," the Paradise Run host admits. "I’m so lucky I didn’t blow it."
"After dating for a while, he later told me that when he saw a picture of me on Facebook, he had a feeling I was special," she adds. "He’s one of the strongest, most level-headed men I know. He knows what he wants, and he’s not afraid of a challenge. It’s so cliche, but I feel like the luckiest girl in the world."
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But the real question is, will her Victorious family be part of the wedding? "I’m in touch with everyone from Victorious! Everyone is happy for us," Monet says. "Andrew’s been around for a while and is close with the whole gang. I can’t wait to see all of them and celebrate! ...We absolutely hope they’ll all be available to come celebrate our engagement!"
Monet currently hosts Nickelodeon's hit competition series, Paradise Run. Season three premiered on Jan. 1.
Reporting by Deidre Behar.
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