For some, the confirmation that you’ve found love feels like warmth. For others, it may come as a spark. For Eboni Boneé Coleman, 34, and Christina Noel Matthews, 41, it was peace. The kind that allows you to be wholly who you are. Where silence isn’t uncomfortable. The type of ease where you can literally fall asleep in your love’s arms. Both women felt it, so unbeknownst to them, it was a race to see who would propose first. Coleman, the director of video content for ESSENCE, a consummate planner, came in first place.
On Feb. 14, 2026, Valentine’s Day, she surprised Matthews by proposing with the help of Enchanting Engagements in New York City, which helped her spread roses and candles and display a huge heart with “Will you marry me?” in the middle. Of course, Matthews said yes.
“There were moments in past relationships where uncertainty existed, yet I still moved forward,” she shares. “This time was different. I had no doubt in my mind that she was the one.”
We interviewed the newly engaged pair about their love story, why Valentine’s Day was the perfect day and way to propose, early hopes for their wedding, and surprises to come on the road to the altar.
“I have my own proposal coming too,” Matthews says, by the way. “You’ll all have to stick around to see how that unfolds.”
ESSENCE: When did you both meet, and how did it happen?
Christina Noel Matthews: It was 2016. She popped up in my suggested friends, and I’m not ashamed to say I thought she was gorgeous. I scrolled through her page and assumed she was in a relationship. Later, I found out that wasn’t true—it was just a photo she forgot to take down [laughs]. Either way, I left her alone. I did, however, follow her on every platform. I thought she was dope, so I kept it respectful—never spoke, just quietly supported her pivotal moments along the way.
That part was important to me. Not only do I pride myself on being a good human, but it is especially important for us, especially Black queer women, to support one another. So following her and supporting her was never about anything more than that. A relationship never crossed my mind. Until November 3, 2024, at 5:34 PM, that is. She sent me a wave on TikTok, and I was convinced it had to be an accident. There was no way this one was actually talking to me [laughs]. But she was, and we haven’t missed a day of talking since.
Eboni Boneé Coleman: While traveling to Costa Rica for a contract, I was scrolling through social media and realized she was following me across all platforms. As I looked a little closer, I noticed we shared mutual friends, including my Godmom Nik, which made me pause and look at her a little differently. I reached out to learn more about her from someone I deeply trust, and everything started from there.
I waved hello, and honestly, it has been a wrap ever since. When I arrived in Costa Rica and my phone suddenly stopped working on the way to Puerto Viejo, a complete disaster, she stepped in and helped me navigate the situation. From that moment on, everything just naturally fell into place.
How did you know that you found your person?
Christina: From the very beginning, I told her this felt different—at the risk of scaring her off, of course, [laughs]. For me, it felt like peace and romance all at once. My nervous system recognized her.
She didn’t make me feel like I had to perform or explain myself. I have always been loved for who I am, unconditionally, and I could feel it. I felt understood in ways that needed no translation. She seemed to know my language, even in silence. I have never been held so gently, and that kind of love does not happen by accident. That is the kind of love that feels like it was laid out for you before you ever knew its name.
When you have been praying for and over this kind of love for as long as I have, it is not hard to recognize when it finally arrives. It comes with a kind of certainty, and that is how I knew she was my person.
Eboni, when did you first decide you were going to propose, and how did the plan come to life? How did you both feel in the moment?
Eboni: There is something worth paying attention to when you can instantly fall asleep in someone’s arms. She brings a sense of peace to my nervous system that I had never experienced before. It introduced a level of trust I didn’t realize was possible for me. I found myself naturally drawn to her in every way, mentally, spiritually, and physically. She became my best friend, the kind of person you never grow tired of being around, which means even more knowing that I am someone who truly values solitude.
About six months in, I knew I was going to ask her to marry me. Once we made the move to New York in October 2025, I began planning intentionally. From conversations with my best friend Valencia to making sure our families understood the seriousness of our next steps, everything unfolded with an ease that felt aligned and certain.
Christina: I can’t speak for her plans, but I can say this: I already knew I wanted to marry her. Something in me thought I would be the one to propose first, but I am not surprised at all that she beat me to the punch—that is very much who she is, and I love that about her.
Our relationship is very equally yoked in this way. There are no gender roles between us. I am a masculine-presenting woman, but she knows I am really just a girl in love, and she has always treated me as such. I am especially grateful because there is a common misconception that masculine-presenting women do not want to be treated like women. That may be true for some, but it is not true here. She is the first woman who has truly recognized and seen me for who I am, and that is something I will always cherish about our relationship.
Why Valentine’s Day to propose, Eboni? Why was it the perfect day for you to pop the question?
Eboni: One thing about my baby is that she truly loves love. While she may present more masc, she is one of the most emotionally open and heartfelt women I have ever met, and that is something I deeply adore about her. I knew the proposal had to happen on a day that represented love, while also aligning with our shared belief in astrology and the intention we both place on timing and energy.
Since we had already talked back in November about planning separate Valentine’s Day surprises for one another, it felt like the perfect opportunity. She wouldn’t overthink why I chose a location or question the details I intentionally kept to myself beforehand. I’m naturally a planner, and when it comes to meaningful moments, I make sure every detail is thoughtfully considered for the occasion.
Any early ideas regarding wedding plans?
Christina: We definitely have early ideas, and we are moving with intention. We want something that feels like us—intimate, meaningful, grounded in love and spirit, and centered on the people who truly hold us. It is important for our wedding to be about us and what makes us happy, so planning has actually been pretty easy.
We are planning a small overseas wedding with the people in our lives who have loved us here and will help hold us accountable to our union. Anyone who knows us knows that an overseas wedding is very much on brand for us, and I suppose this is what happens when two Sagittarians get engaged—life turns into one big, joyous adventure with your best friend.
What are you looking forward to most about sharing your life with one another?
Christina: Call me old school, but I am looking forward to continuously growing together. I look forward to being the person who bears firsthand witness to all the beauty she becomes. She is a brilliant woman, and I am excited to love every version of her along the way and to grow right beside her.
I look forward to all the tender moments still ahead, to building a foundation of love that radiates and touches others, to our legacy, and to all the fun we will have doing it together. We had the uncomfortable conversations early. We planted the seeds from the start.
We laid the foundation of this relationship on day one. We made sure we were aligned, that our minds and hearts were connected. I look forward to building all the beautiful things we promised we would, and to looking back one day and smiling at all the love we created and poured into each other—because I know the way we love ripples outward into everything around us.
Eboni: Hmm, there are so many things, but if I had to name one, it would simply be choosing her every single day. Not out of obligation, but because I genuinely want to. And to me, that kind of love is priceless.