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Credit: Instagram

Southern Hospitality‘s Emmy Sharrett and Will Kulp are engaged.

After nearly 4 years of dating, Will, 31, proposed to Emmy, 27, outside of Saint-Tropez’s Valley Hotel on Monday during his break from his law studies at the University of South Carolina with a custom-made emerald-cut diamond ring her mother, who owns CB Jewelry, helped him design.

“I love everything about Will,” Emmy told PEOPLE after the proposal. “I love the way he loves, I love how he thinks, I love his intelligence, his family. I love how hardworking and determined he is. I love that we have the same birthday, I love the way he says my name, and I love waking up next to him.”

“He is my best friend and soulmate,” she added. “I love that we get to spend the rest of our lives together.”

Ahead of their engagement, Will secretly hired photographer Elia Kuhn to capture the special moment between them.

“Will had made dinner reservations at the hotel’s restaurant and told me he wanted to take pictures of me at sunset,” Emmy recalled. “In reality, he had spent a while during his law school exams organizing a photographer with the hotel.”

Following dinner, Will popped the question to Emmy on the beach, sparking tears from both.

“Will had a whole speech prepared and struggled to get through it before he just started crying, which of course sent me into tears,” Emmy revealed. “All I remember him saying is ‘you’re my best friend, I love you so much.’”

“I had a hunch it was going to happen because Will had been acting funny all day, and he was abnormally concerned about our outfits,” Emmy admitted. “[But] I wouldn’t change a thing. It was so beautiful.”

Looking back at his proposal, Will said he “couldn’t be happier” with how their engagement went.

“I wanted everything to be perfect for Emmy. She is the most important person in my world,” Will declared. “Emmy has been my rock and my cheerleader for the past 4 years, and she has carried me through the challenges of law school. She is my best friend and the love of my life. She has shown me how to see the world in new ways.”

“Emmy has taught me so much about being joyful, optimistic, and kind,” he continued. “I love her childish wonder and her sense of humor. I love her eye for a good meal and her desire for adventure. I love the way she loves me. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her.”

Credit: Instagram

Emmy and Will made their debut on the first season of Southern Hospitality in November 2022 and continued to appear on the series, which is based out of Leva Bonaparte‘s Charleston venue, Republic, for three seasons.

Although Southern Hospitality was recently renewed for a fourth season, Will hinted that he may not be a part of it after skipping the season three reunion due to swirling rumors that he cheated.

“The two most important things in my life are my relationship and what’s left of my legal career after this,” he shared on a March episode of The Viall Files. “I just don’t see reality TV as a format where relationships thrive.”