Introducing our newest planning diaries couple, Dean and Steven, who made it official after three and a half years together. Here, they share their first planning diary as they start to plan their engagement party...
The happy couple are enjoying their 'engagement bubble'
Dean Rowland and Steven Hewitt got engaged in December at Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder
April 2025 update – engagement story and party planning
Steven and I met through our mutual best friend Charleigh around eight years ago. We started off as friends before slowly transitioning into lots of long-distance dating (I’m originally from Essex), including eight-hour drives and countless flights. We’ve now been together for three and a half years, and I’ve moved to Scotland.
Dean and Steven have been together for three and a half years
I always knew we would get engaged and married one day, but I never expected it to happen when it did.
It was honestly the biggest surprise. Steven had been planning it for months and I didn’t have a clue, but all of our friends were in on it.
The proposal happened at Gleneagles – a special place for us as it was where we went on one of our first dates.
We visit every year at Christmas and around my birthday, as it always feels like the perfect escape.
Anyway, on this particular visit, we arrived and went to have a drink at the bar while Steven checked us in. He came back and told me our room was running late, so we had to wait an extra hour. I didn’t mind – we’d actually met Geri Halliwell that day, which was a dream for me as I’m a huge Spice Girls fan, so I was feeling very happy.
This Gleneagles proposal included a floral display and lots of candles.
What I didn’t know was that our friends had secretly travelled to Gleneagles, and were currently hiding in the hotel, waiting until after the big moment so they could celebrate with us!
When Steven said we could finally go to our room, I walked in to find it completely transformed.
There was a huge heart with the words “It was always you”, which links to our matching tattoos we got last year in Ibiza. The room was filled with white roses, candles and petals. It was breathtaking. Steven is so thoughtful.
Steven pulled out all the stops for his extravagant proposal
Dean was so excited when Steven got down on one knee at Gleneagles
Now, we’re planning our engagement party, and we have big ideas for it. We’ve chosen the Marlborough in Shawlands, which has recently undergone a full renovation (it used to be the Shed nightclub).
It’s an iconic building in Glasgow, and we wanted something iconic because, well, we’re an iconic couple! It has been restored to its original grandeur, and we’ve fallen in love with it.
Our party will be in May, and we’ve already sent out our save-the-dates.
What's next?
Our wedding is going to be in 2027, which will give us time to enjoy every part of the planning process. I want to fully embrace being engaged and calling Steven my fiancé, plus we don’t want to rush into booking a venue just for the sake of it.
Search for stunning Scottish wedding venues here
We want everything to be perfect. We’re drawn to the idea of an old castle, but Gleneagles is also high on our list as it holds so many special memories for us.
Next update coming soon...
