Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley’s daughter Alexa Ray Joel is engaged.
The singer-songwriter announced the news on Instagram by sharing a series of snaps with her boyfriend Ryan Gleason at the beach, ending with a close-up shot of her huge emerald-cut engagement ring.
Besides the first picture, showing her and Ryan exchanging a kiss, she wrote, “He said to me: ‘Before I met you, my world was in black and white. You colored it in between the lines.’ It was the most beautiful thing anybody’s ever said to me. How could I possibly say no to that?!?!”
She continued her message besides the second picture, of the couple standing on the water’s edge of a beach, showing her, dressed in a polka dot bikini, looking down at the sparkler on her finger.
“So I was completely taken off-guard, dumbstruck, and shell-shocked- and FOR ONCE in my life, I had absolutely no words, and I couldn’t speak… I just kept staring at this ridiculously exquisite ring- and he was just hysterically laughing at me!!!” she wrote.
Ryan also shared the close-up shot of her ring and wrote, “Luckiest guy in the world!!!!”
Alexa Ray’s representative confirmed to Entertainment Tonight that the engagement took place over the New Year’s Eve holiday, just days after she celebrated her 32nd birthday on 29 December (17). To mark that occasion, Ryan had shared a picture of Alexa and added in the caption, “Happy Birthday to the strangest girl I know. You make this world such a better place. I love you so much!”
She has been dating the restaurateur for five years, and her mother gave him her seal of approval back in July (17).
“I totally approve. Nicest guy, real sweetheart,” Brinkley told ET. “He just gets her, and I see him sort of looking at her in that special way. It’s sweet.”
Alexa Ray is the only child from Joel and Brinkley’s marriage, which ended in divorce in 1994.
