When Sally Morton got down on one knee, she never expected her girlfriend to do the same.
On December 25, Morton (@sallymorton) posted footage of the heartwarming twist on TikTok, where it quickly went viral—racking up more than 5 million views.
Newsweek spoke with Morton, 39, who spent four months planning to propose to her partner, Leanne Stewart, 35. Unbeknownst to her, Stewart, from Scotland, was doing the same thing.
"I was in complete shock as I wasn't expecting it," Morton said. "Leanne panicked because she thought I'd found her ring."
Stewart said she hadn't planned to propose at Calton Hill in Edinburgh, Scotland, but when Morton took the leap and proposed at the site, she felt it only fitting to do the same.
"We were both so happy as it showed us that we were completely on the same page," said Morton, whose twin daughters filmed and took photos of the moment.
The video—which Morton captioned, "My hardest secret, my easiest yes!"—has become the pair's most treasured clip.
The post has received more than 400,000 likes and 7,000 comments, with one viewer writing: "Every time I see a double proposal I see two people who truly know one another and are both in exactly the same place, at the same time in their lives and within themselves. It's such a beautiful thing you just know it's the kind of love that will last a lifetime."
"I am a grown man crying … very beautiful," another wrote, while a user commented: "That's how you know it was meant to be. You both had it planned. You were both ready, you were both so in love. Couldn't have it planned better."
Another said: "The way you both had your own moments to say your bit, not rushing to bring out the second ring and steal the moment from the other … what a beautiful surprise for you both! Congratulations."
"How can people hate on love like this?!" a commenter wrote.
Marriage for same-sex couples took effect in England and Wales in March 2014, and in June 2015, the United States followed suit.
In 2017, Pew Research Center reported that support for same-sex marriage in the United States had reached its highest level in more than 20 years of polling, with 62 percent in favor and 32 percent opposed.
Between March 29, 2014, and December 31, 2022, there were 55,613 same-sex marriages in England and Wales, with 32,240 between women and 23,373 between men. By December 2024, public support for same-sex marriage in Great Britain had grown significantly—with 75 percent in favor of the 2014 legalization and 17 percent opposed, according to Statista.
If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work and your story could be featured on Newsweek's "What Should I Do?" section.