Phillip & Shakira met at Bodine High School in Philadelphia, PA in 2003. Shakira doesn’t remember Phillip their freshman year, they shared classes & homeroom, but Phillip had yet to hit his growth spurt. It wasn’t until their sophomore year when Phillip finally caught Shakira’s eye. There was a brief connection, but nothing blossomed yet as Phillip moved to New Jersey at the end of the school year. The two kept in contact through the years, finally reconnecting Fall 2014 where their bond blossomed, and their love for each other formed.
Throughout Phillip and Shakira’s relationship, they have both enjoyed going on couples’ trips outside the country. This year’s destination was a surprise for Shakira’s birthday, and Shakira didn’t find out their destination until arriving at the airport. Phillip had planned a trip to a 5-star all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Shakira noticed Phillip had gone above and beyond for this trip with VIP status at the airport and at their resort. Additionally, they were assigned a butler who ensured Shakira received princess level treatment. Shakira was too excited to be traveling after a year stuck inside due to Covid 19 that she didn’t think this was the time Phillip would finally propose.
On the 3rd night of the trip, May 15th, the butler scheduled a candlelight dinner on the beach for Phillip & Shakira. They were picked up from their resort suite and escorted to the beach for a 5-course dinner. Upon their arrival, 50 feet away from their table, Phillip & Shakira heard screeching from another couple who had just got engaged. Phillip had to adjust his initial plan of proposing at the start of the meal. He managed to play it cool and made jokes about the lady’s response and they continued to enjoy dinner. Shakira still was not suspecting anything. After the meal was finished, Phillip asked the waiter to return and take their pictures again. Phillip then got down on 1 knee and asked Shakira to marry him. Shakira responded instantly with, “Of course!”