Kim Kardashian discovered the surprise of her life on the afternoon of May 18th, when she opened the bedroom doors of her Beverly Hills home to find her boyfriend of six months, New Jersey Nets forward Kris Humphries, on bended knee. "I was in such shock," the reality TV mogul tells PEOPLE in this week's issue. Surrounded by dozens of tiny twinkling candles, Kardashian gasped as she looked down at four words written in red rose petals: "WILL YOU MARRY ME?" Then Humphries presented the ring: a staggering 20.5-carat diamond dazzler. Her delighted reply: "Yes!"
It was a happily-ever-after moment that Kardashian, 30 - who just weeks before meeting Humphries last fall told PEOPLE, "I know I'll find love" - had been dreaming of for years. But it wasn't until a chance meeting in November with Humphries, 26, and a night spent bonding over hot chocolate that Kardashian realized she had found "the one." Three days after the storybook proposal, the couple sat down with PEOPLE to share all their romantic engagement details - with exclusive photos and a glimpse at their wedding plans.
PEOPLE: So Kris, how did you manage to keep this a secret until the last minute?
Kris: I told my parents [William and Debra]. And I went golfing with Bruce [Jenner, Kim's stepfather] to ask his permission. It took me until the last hole to muster up the courage. I also talked to Kris [Jenner, Kim's mother]. She was really excited. She cried.
Kim: Always! Nobody knew until after he got the ring - he did it all himself.
PEOPLE: What about telling Kim's sisters Kourtney, Khloé, Kendall and Kylie and her brother Robert?
Kris: Kim's mom had asked if she could throw us a party, and I let her handle the details…
Kim: And we were late, so I walked in and apologized as I stroked my hair, flashing the ring. Nobody noticed. I did it two more times before Kylie started screaming. Then Khloé goes, 'Is this a joke?' Nobody believed us at first. After three minutes of arguing, everyone finally started jumping.
PEOPLE: Sounds like a great time.
Kim: Kris really didn't want a big celebration, but he had jokingly told my mom he'd be fine if there were mini horses there. Later that night at the party, my mom brought out two mini horses, covered in glitter, for us! It was hysterical!
PEOPLE: Kris, what's it been like getting to know the Kardashian clan?
Kris: It's nice that they're motivated and come together for things, like my family does. And I love being with a woman that's ambitious but also likes taking care of her man.
PEOPLE: How did you know this was it?
Kim: We always felt it. We'd talk about getting married one day, but I never really knew when it would happen.
PEOPLE: What are you two going to do when his basketball season starts again?
Kim: We haven't figured it all out, but we'll look at places in NJ and get a place there, or I'll move in with him where he is now. I'll always keep my house in LA, and Kris also lives in Miami in the off season, so we'll be between those three. I'm not worried.
PEOPLE: Have you already started thinking about the wedding?
Kim: We want to get married this summer. I've always dreamed of a big wedding. I'll probably do something really over-the-top…
PEOPLE: How about after the wedding? Will kids be next?
Kim: We talk about it all the time…In the next year we want to maybe try to start a family.
It was a happily-ever-after moment that Kardashian, 30 - who just weeks before meeting Humphries last fall told PEOPLE, "I know I'll find love" - had been dreaming of for years. But it wasn't until a chance meeting in November with Humphries, 26, and a night spent bonding over hot chocolate that Kardashian realized she had found "the one." Three days after the storybook proposal, the couple sat down with PEOPLE to share all their romantic engagement details - with exclusive photos and a glimpse at their wedding plans.
PEOPLE: So Kris, how did you manage to keep this a secret until the last minute?
Kris: I told my parents [William and Debra]. And I went golfing with Bruce [Jenner, Kim's stepfather] to ask his permission. It took me until the last hole to muster up the courage. I also talked to Kris [Jenner, Kim's mother]. She was really excited. She cried.
Kim: Always! Nobody knew until after he got the ring - he did it all himself.
PEOPLE: What about telling Kim's sisters Kourtney, Khloé, Kendall and Kylie and her brother Robert?
Kris: Kim's mom had asked if she could throw us a party, and I let her handle the details…
Kim: And we were late, so I walked in and apologized as I stroked my hair, flashing the ring. Nobody noticed. I did it two more times before Kylie started screaming. Then Khloé goes, 'Is this a joke?' Nobody believed us at first. After three minutes of arguing, everyone finally started jumping.
PEOPLE: Sounds like a great time.
Kim: Kris really didn't want a big celebration, but he had jokingly told my mom he'd be fine if there were mini horses there. Later that night at the party, my mom brought out two mini horses, covered in glitter, for us! It was hysterical!
PEOPLE: Kris, what's it been like getting to know the Kardashian clan?
Kris: It's nice that they're motivated and come together for things, like my family does. And I love being with a woman that's ambitious but also likes taking care of her man.
PEOPLE: How did you know this was it?
Kim: We always felt it. We'd talk about getting married one day, but I never really knew when it would happen.
PEOPLE: What are you two going to do when his basketball season starts again?
Kim: We haven't figured it all out, but we'll look at places in NJ and get a place there, or I'll move in with him where he is now. I'll always keep my house in LA, and Kris also lives in Miami in the off season, so we'll be between those three. I'm not worried.
PEOPLE: Have you already started thinking about the wedding?
Kim: We want to get married this summer. I've always dreamed of a big wedding. I'll probably do something really over-the-top…
PEOPLE: How about after the wedding? Will kids be next?
Kim: We talk about it all the time…In the next year we want to maybe try to start a family.
