Finneas O’Connell reveals how he secretly planned Claudia Sulewski’s romantic proposal

Finneas O’Connell has opened up about the creative way he planned his proposal to longtime girlfriend Claudia Sulewski, revealing he used their seventh anniversary celebration as a “Trojan horse” to keep the surprise hidden.

The 28-year-old musician proposed to Sulewski in October after seven years of dating, and he explained that he wanted their anniversary plans to feel natural so she would not suspect a proposal was coming.

Speaking on Today with Jena and Sheinelle, Finneas said he believed Claudia thought they were simply going on a relaxing beach getaway.

“I think she thought we were going to go do a little staycation at a beach,” he explained.

Instead, Finneas secretly arranged a much bigger experience. He picked her up, took her to the airport, and surprised her with a helicopter ride to a private campsite in the mountains.

He also arranged for a private chef to prepare a meal for them before leaving the couple alone to enjoy the romantic setting.

“We were marooned on the mountainside, and then we just had this really beautiful day out in nature. And then, I did ask [her to marry me],” he said.

The proposal came with plenty of nerves for Finneas, especially when it came to keeping the engagement ring hidden.

He revealed that he stored the ring inside a sock wrapped around another sock in his suitcase, hoping Claudia would not discover it before the big moment.

“There was one point where it was about to happen, and I was like, ‘Hang on. One second.’ It was just lies all day,” he recalled.

After secretly preparing the ring, Finneas admitted he even had to hide behind a bush to make sure everything was ready before asking Claudia to marry him.

The couple has since started preparing for their wedding, with Claudia previously sharing that Finneas has been heavily involved in the planning process.

She explained that she was surprised by how many opinions her fiancé had, saying she loved that he wanted to have ownership of their special day.

While Claudia admitted she has been collecting ideas and creating wedding plans, she said she does not expect to become a “bridezilla” and wants the process to remain fun and full of love.

The pair’s engagement marks the next chapter in their relationship, which began years before Finneas planned his unforgettable anniversary surprise.