Typewriter Poet at Park Helps Man Pulls Off Surprise Proposal: 'Fingers Were Shaking with Excitement' (Exclusive)

• A man named Nic asked poet Olivia Dodd to help him propose to his girlfriend, Laura, on Oct. 27.

• They worked together in secret to craft a heartfelt poem for Nic to read aloud at Regent's Park in London. The poem ended with the line, "Will you marry me?"

• Laura said "Yes!" Since then, the newly engaged couple have invited the poet to their wedding, and she's hoping to bring her typewriter with her.

A man plotted with a poet to pull off the perfect surprise proposal.

When poet Olivia Dodd woke up on Oct. 27, she never expected that she'd be the key to a stranger's proposal later that day. But that's exactly what happened after a man named Nic sent her a DM just past 8 a.m. that read: "My girlfriend absolutely loves your content, and we’re planning to pass by when you’re in Regent’s Park. It would be a great moment for me to propose, if you’re up for being a part of it?"

Like she does most days, the Ars Poetica poetess and actress was already planning on going to Regent's Park in London to write poetry for strangers. However, this would be the first time she'd be writing a custom poem for a proposal.

"During the next hour we created a plan: She would ask me for a poem first, on the topic she chose, like I usually do," Dodd explains to PEOPLE. "Nothing suspicious."

She continues: "Then he would ask for a poem about their relationship. I would write the poem and pose the question in the final line of the poem. And since it wouldn't be right for me to read it out loud, I'd offer for him to read the poem to her. But he didn't give me any details about their relationship or what to write. He trusted me to work my magic in the moment."

A few hours later at 2 p.m. the plan went into action. Nic and his unsuspecting girlfriend, Laura, walked up to Dodd, who was seated at her typewriter. She and Nic "exchanged a knowing glance," to confirm that she knew it was them two who would be getting engaged.

Everything went according to plan — Nic explained a little about his relationship with Laura to Dodd, who then crafted a heartfelt poem for him to read aloud.

"My fingers were shaking with excitement as I wrote the poem, because the anticipation was crazy," Dodd says. "I'm used to writing under pressure and having people watch while I write  — but writing a poem for a proposal? A beautiful challenge to try and remain calm."

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As Nic began reading the touching poem about love and resilience, he got down on one knee and pulled out a diamond ring.

"No way," Laura said in a TikTok video capturing the park proposal. She was "completely shocked" and covered her jaw-dropped mouth with her hand before asking, "Are you joking?"

"I am still amazed by his courage to trust me to find the perfect words," Dodd says. "And that he read the poem on the spot, so beautifully, having no idea what I'd written."

Commenters on TikTok pointed out a sweet, unexpected detail — another couple in the background of the video held hands and smiled as they watched the entire proposal from afar.

"There was a line of other people waiting for their poems, and everyone gasped when he dropped down on one knee," Dodd recalls. "Everyone was cheering, the energy turned electric. Even onlookers walking by were swept up in the moment."

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After Laura tearfully exclaimed "yes!" she embraced her fiancé as onlookers applauded. The two then thanked Dodd, gave her a hug and suggested she be a part of their wedding.

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"They have already formally invited me, which is incredibly sweet," Dodd says. "And hopefully my typewriter will be coming along too so I can write custom poems for their guests during the reception."

Dodd has crafted custom poems at countless weddings, but doing so for Nic and Laura would be especially meaningful.

"All the emotions are already sky-rocketed, so it's a really special experience," Dodd says. "I adore hearing the specific ways someone describes their partner and their relationship to me. How they choose to paint the personality of their loved one. Every unique detail or quirk they share is like gold-dust when writing a poem! I always ask people to tell me anything and everything."

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