A very Vanderpump proposal.
From the moment Vanderpump Rules stars James Kennedy and Raquel Leviss announced their engagement back in May, fans have been patiently waiting to see the epic proposal play out on the Bravo series. Now that season 9 is finally underway, the wait is nearly over—and E! News got the inside scoop on what's to come from James and Raquel's Pump Rules co-stars who helped orchestrate the big moment.
"I felt honored to be a part of that," Lala Kent exclusively shared during the Travel & Give's Fourth Annual "Travel With a Purpose" fundraiser hosted by Moun Lakay at Tom Tom on Oct. 11. "That's one of the biggest moments in someone's life and to be able to experience that with them, and I've been through so much with James, and to see him evolve in that way, I'm so thrilled for them."
The new mom, who's also engaged herself, added that the special Vanderpump Rules episode is "so sweet."
"I love both of them so much, and I've seen James come a really long way in the last few years and I just hope he continues on that trajectory," Lala continued.
Ariana Madix, meanwhile, revealed that while her longtime boyfriend Tom Sandoval knew about James' plan to propose ahead of time, she was just as surprised as Raquel when it happened.
"It wasn't my night, but I couldn't stop crying," Ariana told E! News. "I was like, 'This is the best night of my life.' Before I even knew a proposal was happening, I was loving it."
The former SUR bartender added that the Coachella-themed event—complete with dancing and a DJ—was "one of the coolest experiences," and certainly a "breath of fresh air" after a year marked by COVID-19 lockdowns and social distancing.
"It was well earned in my opinion," Ariana continued. "James and Raquel have been through a lot and you'll get to see it all play out but it was incredibly heartfelt, sentimental and it just felt like fireworks."
James and Tom Schwartz have also been through a lot, but as the Tom Tom owner told E! News, he couldn't be happier for him and his fiancée.
"Man has really been putting in the work, working on his sobriety and just getting control of his temper and working on his relationship and friendships and career," Schwartz explained. "He's producing. He's on fire."
He even joked that he's "a little jealous."
"I'm feeling a little stagnant," Schwartz quipped. "But no, I'm so happy for James. Me and James have always been friends but we really connected the last year on a deeper level. We've always been friends but now he's my boy and I'm very grateful for that."
Vanderpump Rules airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Bravo.
(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family)