Tom Holland's Dad Revealed Details About How He Proposed to Zendaya

"Tom had everything planned out…"

Tom Holland and Zendaya in a selfie the actress shared to Instagram for his birthday in 2022
(Image credit: Instagram / @zendaya)

If Hollywood had an official Cutest Couple award, Tom Holland and Zendaya would probably take the title. The couple, who have been together since at least 2021 (although they were linked romantically as far back as 2017), are now officially engaged.

Although Holland and Zendaya definitely aren't shy about their feelings for each other, they've also made a point to protect their private moments. When TMZ broke the news of their engagement, the outlet reported that its sources described a relatively low-key engagement, saying "it wasn't a big, over-the-top proposal" and that "instead, it was very romantic and intimate."

Even though TMZ reported that sources said the couple's "family wasn't there" and the proposal itself was "just a sweet moment between Tom and Zendaya," the actor's family was apparently well-aware of the prep that he put into the big moment.

Holland's father, Dominic Holland, shared some details about the proposal in a Patreon post on Friday, Jan. 10.

"Tom, as you know by now, was very incredibly well prepared," Dominic wrote, according to People. "He had purchased a ring. He had spoken with her father and gained permission to propose to his daughter. Tom had everything planned out… When, where, how, what to say, what to wear."

Holland's approach to the proposal broke a family tradition of sorts, apparently, as Dominic described his proposal to Tom's mother, Nicola "Nikki" Holland, as much less planned out—noting that when he proposed, he didn't even have a ring, let alone her parent's blessing.

As for Holland and Zendaya's engagement, the actual proposal reportedly happened sometime over the Christmas holidays, but a source told People that Holland had been "wanting to propose for a while now" and that "everyone close to them knew the engagement was happening."

"He's always been crazy about her. He always knew she was the one," the source added. "They have something very special."

Contributing Editor at Marie Claire

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.