Kalani Hilliker Shares Story Behind Her Sparkly Engagement Ring — and Its Giant Diamond (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Kalani Hilliker shares the story behind her Brilliant Earth engagement ring.Photo:Kalani Hilliker/Instagram, Courtesy of Brilliant Earth

Kalani Hilliker engagement ring

Kalani Hilliker/Instagram, Courtesy of Brilliant Earth

Before getting engaged, Kalani Hilliker began wedding ring shopping with a specific vision in mind.After finding inspiration on social media, theDance Momsalum, 23, was set on getting a sparkler with an elongated cushion diamond. But when she went to her first appointment and tried on different styles, her plans “completely flipped,” she tells PEOPLE.Over the course of three ring sessions at Brilliant Earth with her fiancé Nathan Goldman, Hilliker went back and forth between wanting an elongated stone and, as she soon discovered, an oval-shaped diamond.In the end, Goldman “surprised” Hilliker with a dazzlingBrilliant Earth Lumiere Diamond engagement ringfeaturing an 18K yellow gold band and a 6.82 oval-cut diamond with VS2 clarity.“The oval just looked much better on her hand, and with something like a ring she will wear forever, I thought it was important to make it perfect. She was still indecisive on which band to choose with the oval, but I always loved the gold because of its contrast with the diamond. I also added in the hidden halo on the band because I knew she loved that,” Goldman tells PEOPLE.The bride-to-be is equally thrilled with her new bling. “I will wear this for the rest of my life!” she gushes.“It was also such a fun memory for us we will always love,” she adds of ring shopping with her partner, which is something she encourages couples to do.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Hilliker and Goldman announcedtheir engagementon Instagram on Aug. 17. He popped the question in Lake Como in Italy while the two were on vacation.“I wanted to make the proposal beautiful and I knew she loved white flowers prior to doing so. I knew doing it on Lake Como would be stunning, so I planned on that. I was a little worried on how I would achieve it, but luckily some of Kalani’s friends are wedding planners and they helped me out," Goldman says of the proposal.After arranging all the details, from sourcing flowers from a local company to decorating the garden at the hotel they were staying at, all he had to do was make sure that Hilliker had no suspicions, which proved slightly difficult since their room had a view of the proposal spot.“I truly didn’t think it would happen on this trip and I didn’t even know he had the ring!" Hilliker says. “He did give me a hint 30 minutes before because I wanted to be at the pool for the rest of the day and he was acting weird. I said, ‘What’s wrong?’ That’s when he said it’s time to go put your white dress on… and I couldn’t believe it was happening! He knew there was a special dress I loved and was saving for the moment (whenever that was) for me to get engaged in and he made sure I had it on.”She continues: “The set-up was more than I ever could have imagined and I couldn’t believe he pulled this off in Italy. He is a true romantic and wanted to make sure it was so special for me and that is what he did. It was also special because friends of mine were able to be a part of this special moment.”The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Before getting engaged, Kalani Hilliker began wedding ring shopping with a specific vision in mind.

After finding inspiration on social media, theDance Momsalum, 23, was set on getting a sparkler with an elongated cushion diamond. But when she went to her first appointment and tried on different styles, her plans “completely flipped,” she tells PEOPLE.

Over the course of three ring sessions at Brilliant Earth with her fiancé Nathan Goldman, Hilliker went back and forth between wanting an elongated stone and, as she soon discovered, an oval-shaped diamond.

In the end, Goldman “surprised” Hilliker with a dazzlingBrilliant Earth Lumiere Diamond engagement ringfeaturing an 18K yellow gold band and a 6.82 oval-cut diamond with VS2 clarity.

“The oval just looked much better on her hand, and with something like a ring she will wear forever, I thought it was important to make it perfect. She was still indecisive on which band to choose with the oval, but I always loved the gold because of its contrast with the diamond. I also added in the hidden halo on the band because I knew she loved that,” Goldman tells PEOPLE.

The bride-to-be is equally thrilled with her new bling. “I will wear this for the rest of my life!” she gushes.

“It was also such a fun memory for us we will always love,” she adds of ring shopping with her partner, which is something she encourages couples to do.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Hilliker and Goldman announcedtheir engagementon Instagram on Aug. 17. He popped the question in Lake Como in Italy while the two were on vacation.

“I wanted to make the proposal beautiful and I knew she loved white flowers prior to doing so. I knew doing it on Lake Como would be stunning, so I planned on that. I was a little worried on how I would achieve it, but luckily some of Kalani’s friends are wedding planners and they helped me out,” Goldman says of the proposal.

After arranging all the details, from sourcing flowers from a local company to decorating the garden at the hotel they were staying at, all he had to do was make sure that Hilliker had no suspicions, which proved slightly difficult since their room had a view of the proposal spot.

“I truly didn’t think it would happen on this trip and I didn’t even know he had the ring!" Hilliker says. “He did give me a hint 30 minutes before because I wanted to be at the pool for the rest of the day and he was acting weird. I said, ‘What’s wrong?’ That’s when he said it’s time to go put your white dress on… and I couldn’t believe it was happening! He knew there was a special dress I loved and was saving for the moment (whenever that was) for me to get engaged in and he made sure I had it on.”

She continues: “The set-up was more than I ever could have imagined and I couldn’t believe he pulled this off in Italy. He is a true romantic and wanted to make sure it was so special for me and that is what he did. It was also special because friends of mine were able to be a part of this special moment.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

source: people.com