James McVey always planned to get engaged this year.
Kirstie Brittain and James McVey
The Vamps singer popped the question to his girlfriend Kirstie Brittain during a weekend away in January but the proposal can't have come as too much of a shock to the 23-year-old student because they have always been "open" about their future together.
He told new! magazine: "We're very lucky that we've always been open about how we feel and the plans we wanted to make.
"We knew we were going to get engaged this year.
"We've lived together for three years and while our engagement weekend was lovely, we've actually gone back to how we always are."
The couple are not rushing to tie the knot and expect to get married in late 2020 once Kirstie has finished her master's degree in environment, politics and society and they have time to plan properly.
James said:" We think it'll be towards the end of next year.
"Kirstie finishes uni this September and we've got a year of planning from there.
"[The wedding will be] definitely in the UK - somewhere in Dorset or Hampshire. There are so many venues, so we're trying to tick them off the list."
The 24-year-old singer admitted things being organised is the key to their big day running smoothly so he'll be doing as much as possible in advance in order to accommodate his commitments to his band.
Asked how he'll juggle the band with wedding planning, he said: "Planning well in advance is going to be key. Luckily, our manager Joe is getting married next weekend so we're going to take little notes from his wedding."
James and Kirstie want children in the future but not for some time.
He said: "I think in five years we will [have children]. Kirstie and I are quite methodical with our plans."
Tagged in The Vamps