HARDY Tells The Sweet Story Of How He Proposed To Now-Fiancé Caleigh Ryan

HARDY is officially an engaged man, and he just told his engagement story before the 14th Annual Academy of Country Music Honors.

HARDY — whose full name is Michael Wilson Hardy — revealed that he was “more excited than anything” when he faked having a private gig at The Lyric, a historic venue in Oxford, Mississippi. That’s where he and now-fiancé Caleigh Ryan met about four years ago, and the “Give Heaven Some Hell” singer knew that he wanted to pop the question in the exact spot where he met his future wife.

“It just worked out,” HARDY said of bringing Ryan to the venue under the guise of a private show. “As far as I know, she was pretty fooled.”

HARDY also revealed that his plans started months earlier. When he was in town for a show with Dustin Lynch — without his wife — HARDY paid a visit to Ryan’s dad and asked for his permission to marry his daughter. As soon as he had permission, he bought the ring and started planning. HARDY shared a photo of the proposal on Instagram, celebrating in the caption that he’s “not her boyfriend anymore ❤️”

Aside from the engagement, HARDY also teased new projects on the horizon. He wasn’t able to reveal much, however, at the ACM Honors on Wednesday (August 25), when he delivered a performance of “One Beer” with Lauren Alaina and Devin Dawson: “I can’t really talk about it too much, but something really cool is happening pretty soon,” HARDY confirmed. “And also something else really cool is happening really soon.”