New York Knicks Amar’e Stoudemire’s fiancé, Alexis Welch, speaks out for the first time about their engagement and her fear of Beyonce.

This isn’t a fling that turned into a proposal overnight. Stoudemire and Welch have been serious for a decade, so it’s no surprise the NBA star finally popped the big one in the most romantic spot in the world, Paris, France.

“I’m usually on top of everything, but he got me. We were going to France to visit Cognac [area]. We went back [to the room], and there were rose petals leading to a balcony with a 365-degree view of Paris. We walked out to the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower. He had an acoustic-guitar player. He had a saxophonist. This is another side of Amar’e that people don’t get to see. I’m just getting teary-eyed talking about it.”

Welch gave her first post-engagement interview since getting her 8 ½ carat ring and it has everyone buzzing because unlike other NBA ladies, Welch isn’t an attention seeking woman. You’re always more likely to find her tending to her and Stoudemire’s three kids instead of in front of some camera lens. In the interview the caring mother went on about how the two met and their first years together.

“We were both really young, so we went to a lot of movies. I would make him dinner, and we would just spend time together. We would talk all the time. We’re a cooking family. We had some good old-fashioned mac and cheese and greens. [And] he put sugar on his greens. It was his Southern roots shining through.”

And what’s this of a Beyonce fear? She wasn’t scared of the songstress, just intimidated. Who wouldn’t be though?

“Thank goodness, Amar’e is used to these events, so he makes me feel more comfortable. We were standing close to Beyoncé, but I was too nervous to introduce myself. Everyone has a wish list of celebrities [to meet]. She’s on there. But now, her husband is the owner of the Nets, so there’s a little bit of a rivalry going on.”

Wonder if Jay and Beyonce will be getting an invite to the wedding?

Regardless of the guest list, 10 years in the making, congrats to both Amar’e Stoudemire and Alexis Welch. It’s bound to be an extravagant event.