Amid Iceland’s landscape and a brief bathroom break that almost stole the moment, Courtney and Thomas’ proposal turned an imperfect night into a perfectly unforgettable one.
The Meet Cute: Courtney and Thomas met in the most unexpected way: playing Words With Friends. What started as a casual few games turned into creating their own tournaments (Courtney was ultimately the victor), late night conversations through the messaging feature, uncontrollable laughter and an immediate connection.
At the time, Courtney had just been cast on a Buzzfeed dating show and was planning to move across the country for a few months. Somehow, despite the timing and the odds, the two both knew the connection they shared was different; Courtney soon told the producers she couldn’t do the show. Almost eight years, three dogs and a cat later, the pair are still each other’s favorite teammate.
The Proposal: Courtney and Thomas had picked out the ring months before, so the future bride knew it was coming, just not when. One night during their trip to Iceland with the hope of seeing the northern lights, they stopped at a viking bar where an Italian tour guide stated that the odds of seeing the northern lights were low, but the couple remained hopeful. Suddenly, the tour group started shouting, “The lights are out!” and as everyone ran outside, Courtney and Thomas decided to drive to Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, hoping for the perfect view.
Taking advantage of the fact that they were the only people there, they set up a tripod and captured incredible photos of the lights dancing behind the couple along with the waterfall in the background. It was a stunning moment until Courtney realized she needed to use the bathroom. She told Thomas this, and he asked if it could wait five minutes. She responded with, “Not even five seconds.”
When she returned, she realized the northern lights had disappeared. Courtney figured that Thomas wanted to take one of his signature “Funny from behind nude” travel photos (a vacation tradition of theirs), and offered to help him. Thomas asked her to turn and look at the waterfall; perhaps she was going to be the background of the cheeky photo. When she turned back around however, he was on one knee. “Courtney Elizabeth DaCosta, my pain in the ass,” Thomas said. “I wanted the northern lights behind us, but you just had to pee and you wouldn’t be you if you didn’t. I love you. Will you marry me?” Courtney took off her gloves and he put the ring on her finger with tears in his eyes. It was private, imperfect and perfectly them. At their horse farm Airbnb, the two shared a bottle of wine under the stars.
The couple will get married in late September 2025 at Falls Creek Farm in Mossup, CT.
