For Paige Tailyn, love didn’t just arrive: it bloomed. The plant influencer, who built an over 1.3 million Instagram following brick by brick, is officially engaged to her partner Sydney. The fact that the proposal took place at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens is nothing short of poetic for someone whose life’s work involves plant-centered storytelling.
“Do you know how your dreams feel like they are moving in slow motion? It felt like that for me,” Tailyn tells ESSENCE, recalling the moment she became a fiancée. “From us walking into the greenhouse, to looking for the Arthurium Queen, to Sydney getting down on one knee while uttering some of the most beautiful words to me, I can vividly remember it all.”
Tailyn knew a proposal was en route, considering the couple, together for almost four years, had prior discussions about the future. Nevertheless, the timing was surprising, making it all the more magical.
The cherry on top? Her friends emerged from behind the greenery, affirming their love and cementing that sacred moment.
“Sydney and I wouldn’t be who we are today without our community, and we are so grateful to have been surrounded by our loved ones,” she explains.
Long before that beautiful scene unfolded, the couple first crossed paths at “My Sisters Room,” a lesbian club in Atlanta, Georgia. Tailyn was indulging in a girls’ night out with a friend when she spotted Sydney outside the club.
“As much as it pains me to admit, she did not notice me eyeing her down,” the plant guru admits. “Sydney had a nonchalant yet powerful aura that drew me to her. Like she knew how to own a room without doing too much. Plus, she has some of the most mesmerizing eyes ever, so I knew I needed that.”
Despite Sydney missing out on Tailyn giving her the eye, they were eventually connected to one another when someone approached the influencer, telling her Sydney thought she was cute. Tailyn initiated a social media exchange, sending off a DM, and that has since culminated into the memorable proposal.
The Atlanta Botanical Gardens was more than a picturesque site for Sydney to get down on one knee. It reflected the foundation of the couple’s relationship. Their very first date took place in Tailyn’s 400-square-foot apartment in Atlanta, which at the time housed nearly 100 plants.
“We spent time in my mini jungle getting to know each other,” she recalls, adding that Sydney expressed an interest in learning how to care for house plants. “She even asked to take home a cutting from my calathea to try and grow herself. While the plant didn’t survive, the effort meant everything. I appreciated that she tried to understand something that I loved so much.”
That said, as the pair looks ahead to their wedding, they are on the same page about something improtant: plants will be a central part of the vision for the day.
“My florals and greenery have to tell a story,” Paige says. She plans to partner with local artisans to curate arrangements that align both aesthetically and emotionally.
“As a plant lover, plant enthusiast, and plant historian, I find it extremely important to make sure every detail makes sense,” she explains. “The most important part is that my florals and greenery tell a story.”
Beyond wedding planning, the pair is focused on building a life rooted in shared achievements and mutual growth, including through individual and couples therapy.
“Sydney and I are most excited about continuing to build together!” she shares. “We have so many big goals that we plan on taking on together, and we can’t wait to.”
Through this relationship, Tailyn has learned what truly sustains love: clear communication, making the small moments meaningful, and showing up—especially when things get hard. Sydney embodies all of that, offering not just partnership, but a sense of safety that makes stepping into married life feel natural and affirming.
“In an industry that’s so public-facing, Sydney has always made me feel safe,” says Tailyn. Whether it’s spontaneous drives to plant shops, brainstorming content ideas, appearing in videos, or simply offering steady encouragement, Sydney shows up in both big and quiet ways, thus creating a space where Paige feels “safe to explore, safe to inquire, safe to try.”
