Emily Maynard Plans to Marry Tyler Johnson "Soon," Says Daughter Ricki Is "Excited" to Get a Stepdad

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By Zach Johnson Jan 14, 2014 2:47 PMTags
Emily Maynard JewelryEmily Maynard

Emily Maynard revealed she's hoping to marry Tyler Johnson "soon" during a Tuesday, Jan. 14, appearance on ABC's Good Morning America. The former Bachelorette went on to explain how she finally fell for her future husband after years of friendship while talking to co-anchor Lara Spencer.

"We met each other at church and I think that's why our relationship is so good now, because we started out as friends," explained Maynard, who has been engaged four times in the past 10 years.

Maynard's first fiancé, NASCAR Driver Ricky Hendrick, tragically died in a plane crash in October 2004. The following week, she learned she was pregnant with their daughter, whom she named Ricki in his memory. Maynard got engaged to Texas bar owner Brad Womack during Season 15 of The Bachelor in the fall of 2010; they called it quits in June 2011, less than six months after the show's finale aired. Maynard accepted a proposal from water entrepreneur Jef Holm while taping the Season 8 finale of The Bachelorette in the spring of 2012. They went their separate ways in October of that same year.

Johnson "never watched" Maynard on The Bachelor or The Bachelorette, she insisted. He then joined his fiancée via Skype and shared their engagement story. "We got through Christmas and New Year's and had the girls back home. It wasn't long after that I went over one morning, woke the girls up, told them I was gonna cook 'em breakfast and kind of put 'em back to sleep," he recalled. "Then I brought 'em downstairs and proposed to her and Ricki. It was really special, really simple and a lot of fun."

According to Maynard, Johnson's proposal was "was the sweetest thing ever." She also loved the unconventional jewelry that came with it. "I wanted a stack of bands. I just wanted gold bands, but he did a very good job," she said of her multiple rings. "This is way more than I thought."

Emily Maynard

The TV star added that her 8-year-old daughter is "so excited" for her mom's wedding. "She wakes up saying, 'Where's Tyler?' She already has her wedding guest list. She's already wondering if when I get pregnant she gets to skip school," the bride-to-be laughed. "She's already working this thing!"

Maynard also participated in a Q&A with fans on Good Morning America's official Facebook page, where she answered questions about her engagement to management consultant Johnson, 27. Asked how her little girl feels about the idea of getting a stepfather, the former reality star replied, "She loves him and is so excited!" Maynard added that her "whole family LOVES him!"

What made Maynard realize that Johnson was The One? "He's confident in who he is in his faith and has the kindest heart of any person I've ever known!" she gushed. "Plus, he's a babe."