Female Stars Who Proposed to Their Significant Others

It’s not always necessary for a man to make the first move; in fact, there are numerous famous women who have boldly initiated the proposal towards their partners instead.

Dax Shepard first proposed to Kristen Bell back in 2009, but they decided to postpone their wedding until same-sex marriage was legal in the U.S. It wasn’t until June 2013 when the Supreme Court approved of same-sex marriages that Kristen Bell requested Dax Shepard to marry her on Twitter, who played a role in the TV show “Parenthood” at the time.

In a courthouse in Beverly Hills, the long-term couple got married later that same year. The stars of “Chips” went on to have two daughters, Lincoln being born in 2013, followed by another in 2014.

Britney Spears surprised everyone, including Kevin Federline himself, by proposing during a flight to New York City for her “Outrageous” music video shoot in the fourth episode of their 2005 series, Britney and Kevin: Chaotic. Though he had a sense of where their relationship might go, the dancer admitted that he wasn’t anticipating the proposal.

He said, “I thought, ‘No, no. It’s not meant to be like this. I should be the one proposing, kneeling and asking for my proposal.’ So, she responded, ‘Well, if that’s what you want, you have to ask me.’

Spears added, “He did, right then and there.”

In the year 2004, this couple got married and went on to have two sons: Sean Preston in 2005 and Jayden in 2006. However, they parted ways in 2007. Now, Spears is married to Sam Asghari, while Federline is with Victoria Prince.

In this version, I’ve tried to make the sentence flow more naturally and added a bit of context to help readers understand the relationship between the individuals mentioned.

Scroll down to see all the badass female stars who chose to ask their male partners to marry them:

Kristen Bell, Britney Spears and More Female Stars Who Proposed to Their Significant Others

In some cases, it’s the woman who takes the lead in proposing to her partner, as demonstrated by several high-profile celebrities. For instance, Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell were engaged in 2009, but they decided to wait until marriage equality was legalized in the United States before getting married. When the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage in June 2013, Bell took to Twitter to ask Shepard to marry her. The couple tied the knot later that year in a courthouse in Beverly Hills, and they went on to have two daughters together.

Another example is Britney Spears, who proposed to Kevin Federline while they were dating. This happened during a flight to New York City for the filming of her “Outrageous” music video. Despite knowing where their relationship was heading, Federline was surprised by the proposal. Spears later explained that she wanted Federline to ask her instead, as she felt it was traditionally the man’s role to propose. The couple got married in 2004 and had two sons together before divorcing in 2007. Both Spears and Federline have since moved on, with Spears marrying Sam Asghari and Federline marrying Victoria Prince.

Here are some other female celebrities who took the initiative to propose to their partners: [list of badass female stars who proposed]

Rita Ora and Taika Waititi

The director shared with Vogue in August 2023, a year after their wedding, that she was asked and agreed immediately to the proposal.

Waititi noted that the pop star proposed on a vacation in Palm Springs after one year of dating.

In June 2025, Ora shared additional information about the proposal on the “Begin Again” podcast. She disclosed that she had secretly designed wedding rings as a surprise for her future spouse.

She reminisced, “I didn’t prefer the rings to be overly extravagant. Instead, I had unique bands crafted with a special, private message engraved within them. It was entirely my idea!

In Palm Springs, since they were there, the couple found themselves. So, Ariana booked an extravagant, luxurious hotel room, which she subsequently adorned with numerous heart-shaped balloons and a delectable cake.

“I’m basically doing what I would have wanted,” she joked.

Despite Ora having arranged for a private driver to transport them to another spot after her proposal, the couple failed to reach that destination.

“It was a waste of money, that bit,” she humorously admitted.

Ora continued, “I’ve got a bleeding cake here and balloons everywhere. … Then he enters the room, looking puzzled, asking, ‘What in the world is this? Is it Valentine’s Day?’… To make the story short, I knelt down… You see, I always get thrilled when I do things outside the ordinary!

In her own words, the “Let You Love Me” singer expressed that she dislikes monotony, making it fitting for her to propose to Waititi instead.

Nobody seemed to enjoy the surprise as much as Taika did. In fact, he adored every moment of it, and according to her, that’s because he’s a Leo – they’re all about themselves!

Initially, Ora admitted that she had been unsure if Waititi would agree to her proposal, despite all the efforts she had put in.

As an ardent admirer, I must admit that I’ve pondered over his unique journey, shaped by his personal encounters. In my heart, I wondered if perhaps he wasn’t yearning for more than just a relationship, but to my relief, I found contentment in the status quo as well. Yet, the fanatic within me couldn’t resist the urge to secure him completely. To my utter delight, he consented wholeheartedly, saying, “Absolutely!

Waititi and Ora tied the knot in Los Angeles in August 2022.

Becca Kufrin and Thomas Jacobs

In May 2022, former contestants of ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ announced their engagement. Interestingly, it was the winner of ‘The Bachelor’ season 22 who proposed, and she excitedly shared on Instagram, “In a surprising turn of events…HE ACCEPTED!” Meanwhile, Jacobs referred to Kufrin’s proposal as an unexpected move, like playing the UNO reverse card or exerting power.

Sarah Snook and Dave Lawson

In a surprising turn of events, “Succession” actress privately tied the knot with one of her closest friends during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. She shared in an October 2021 interview with Vogue Australia that it was actually her who proposed to her partner.

The Australian actress shared that she and her Australian comedian husband have been friends since 2014, lived together, traveled together, and always look forward to seeing each other. However, it’s important to note that their bond is purely platonic.

She continued, “I proposed and we got married in February in my backyard.”

At the Brooklyn ceremony, her “Succession” co-star and compatriot Ash Zukerman served as a witness.

Jodie Turner-Smith and Joshua Jackson

During a chat on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in July 2021, Jackson shared that his girlfriend proposed to him on New Year’s Eve, while they were in Nicaragua. The setting was breathtakingly romantic, with them strolling along the beach. He confessed that he hadn’t expected it, but she was determined and correct in her decision – it was the best choice he’s ever made.

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline

Back when we were still together, it was me, your die-hard fan here, who popped the question as we flew towards the city that never sleeps – New York City. He initially declined, only to propose moments afterwards. Regrettably, our union officially ended in 2007 with a divorce settlement.

Jennifer Hudson and David Otunga

Back in 2009, when the WWE superstar popped the question to Hudson on her special day, it wasn’t long before she reciprocated the gesture five months later, making my heart skip a beat on his birthday. This adorable pair, who added David Jr. to their family just after announcing their engagement, unfortunately decided to part ways in 2017.

Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard

In 2013, the former star of “Veronica Mars” accepted a proposal from the host of the “Armchair Expert” podcast, who had first proposed in 2009. Since same-sex marriage was legalized throughout the United States, they marked this historic event by getting married at a courthouse.

Haley Lu Richardson and Brett Dier

While enjoying pizza at the mall, the actress from “The Edge of Seventeen” proposed to the actor from “Jane the Virgin.” To memorialize the special occasion, they crafted rings out of twigs found nearby and exchanged them. As they didn’t have any conventional rings with them, they felt compelled to do something about it. So, they collected twigs from a bush, took turns kneeling down, and tied the twigs around their ring fingers as temporary rings. They kept these makeshift rings in a small baggie as souvenirs. The actress shared this story with Cosmopolitan in 2019.

Jenna Bush Hager and Henry Chase Hager

Five years prior to his 2007 proposal, the businessman was initially turned down by the woman who was then known as the first daughter. During an interview on Today with Hoda & Jenna in February 2020, she shared the story. “He said no,” she explained. “After only three months of dating, and possibly a Christmas cocktail, we were dancing. I told him, ‘This is it, I know it, let’s get married now.’ He smiled and replied, ‘I’m smitten by you, but you’re still young.’

Pink and Carey Hart

In 2005, while he was competing in the Pro 250 class finals in Mammoth, California, the singer known for “So What” proposed to her partner. During the third lap, she displayed a sign saying, “Will you marry me? I’m serious!” They got married the following year and later had two children: daughter Willow born in 2011 and son Jameson born in 2016.

Judy Sheindlin and Jerry Sheindlin

In 1991, Judge Judy, the famous television personality, shared details about her proposal to her husband Jerry, whom she had been married to before from 1977 to 1990. She recounted in an interview with DuJour in 2013 that during a conversation about their relationship’s future direction, she asked him, “Where is this going?” He hesitated and tried to avoid the topic, but she persisted until he eventually agreed to remarry, choosing Flag Day as the wedding date.

Diane von Furstenberg and Barry Diller

The fashion designer turned down multiple offers from the founder of Fox Broadcasting Company, but ultimately took the initiative to propose herself. They’ve been married since 2001.

Lindsey Vonn and P. K. Subban

In December 2019, a resident from Minnesota made a proposal to an ice hockey celebrity, not long after his first attempt. However, they decided to end their relationship in December 2020.

Gretchen Rossi and Slade Smiley

In a 2013 episode of the popular Bravo series “The Real Housewives of Orange County”, an ex-cast member proposed to Smiley. Although they haven’t had a wedding yet, they became parents in 2019 and celebrated their 11th anniversary in 2020.

Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding

The actress famously known for playing Cleopatra was married eight times prior to her death in 2011 at the age of 79. Among all these marriages, she only proposed to the actor from Stage Fright on one occasion. This couple, who are parents to Michael Jr. and Christopher, got married in 1952 but divorced five years later in 1957.

2025-06-27 02:26