Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Madeline Salter is set to embark on a new chapter in her life after becoming engaged to Joe McBride. The couple celebrated their engagement on April 27 at the picturesque Hotel Drover in Fort Worth, Texas. The moment was made even more special with a surprise dinner party for friends and family at Hudson House in Frisco, Texas, following the proposal.
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At 28 years old, Salter expressed her joy at being able to celebrate this milestone with her loved ones. “The fact that I got to celebrate with my friends, family, and future in-laws was the perfect way for a perfect engagement,” she shared with PEOPLE.
The engagement proposal came as a complete surprise for Salter. Initially, she believed she was participating in a routine photo shoot, arranged by her agent, Traci Glieden. However, her boyfriend McBride, 24, had other plans lined up. He cleverly staged the setting by convincing Salter that they were meeting photographer Merissa Bradford for a branding session. Within moments of the shoot commencing, McBride appeared to propose, kneeling before her with a beaming smile.
“I’m gonna be honest, I thought he was surprising me to take me out to dinner afterward, but nope, he was proposing,” Salter recounted. The moment took place at her favourite hotel, with her “favourite person” by her side.
Joe McBride, who is the owner of the sports card business Vicious Cards, presented Salter with a stunning 14-karat yellow gold marquise-cut diamond ring. The ring, which features 19 diamonds, has a marquise-cut centre stone set vertically surrounded by a cluster of marquise and round diamonds that resemble leaves. Salter added, “The band has pavé diamonds for extra sparkle, and the elevated setting lets in light to make it really shine.”
Following the emotional proposal, the couple soaked in the happiness of their engagement by taking a stroll around Fort Worth. This provided enough time for Bradford to set up the surprise dinner back in Frisco. After a quick change and touch-up at home, Salter was taken to what she believed was a quiet dinner with McBride.
However, she was utterly taken aback upon entering the venue to discover a gathering of 35 of her closest family and friends, including her Dallas Cowboys cheerleading teammates, all there to celebrate her engagement.
The couple’s love story began at McAllen International Airport in McAllen, Texas. Salter was on her way to a Dallas Cowboys event, while McBride was traveling with his baseball teammates from Utah Valley University to play against the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. McBride, smitten by Salter’s beauty, made an effort to compliment her glasses as he walked past her seat.
Upon landing at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, fate intervened for a second time when they crossed paths while waiting for the same train. Seizing the opportunity, McBride ensured he boarded the same train car as Salter, prompting a friendly conversation that ultimately led to them connecting on Instagram and exchanging phone numbers.
Over the following year, the pair grew closer, transitioning from acquaintances to best friends as they kept in touch through messages and video calls. Their relationship culminated in their first official date in Utah, solidifying their commitment to each other.
As they prepare for their upcoming wedding, the couple is basking in the happiness of their engagement, relishing each moment as they plan for their future together. Salter’s dream of celebrating a perfect engagement with the people she cherishes most has become a reality, setting the tone for their new adventure ahead.