Inside 'Below Deck Med' Star Captain Sandy Yawn's Relationship With Fiancée Leah Shafer

Congratulations are in order because Below Deck Mediterranean star Captain Sandy Yawn is officially engaged! The world-renowned yacht captain and TV personality proposed to her longtime girlfriend, Leah Shafer, in September 2023.

With a wedding on the way, let's take a closer look at Sandy and Leah's relationship! Keep reading for a detailed timeline, starting from their first encounter to the heartfelt moment when Sandy got down on one knee and popped the question.

We love a meet cute, even if it unfolds on social media! In May 2019, Sandy disclosed that she met Leah through Facebook.

"She sent me a nice message that said, 'I came across your show, congratulations, many blessings,'" Sandy told The Cheat Sheet, noting that the "many blessings" part caught her eye.

The two officially met each other in person in Los Angeles in November 2018 — and it was essentially love at first sight, according to Leah.

"It was definitely unexpected," she shared with The Cheat Sheet. "It just happened, when you meet another soul that you connect with at such a deep level, it is unexplainable and so beautiful."

A few months into the relationship, Sandy decided to leave her life in L.A. behind and moved to Denver to be with Leah.

In May 2019, the Below Deck Med star shared an update via Instagram on their new city life, accompanied by a photo of herself and Leah: "Living in Denver and so happy, having a blast with [Leah Shafer]!" she wrote in the caption.

After more than three years of dating, Sandy and Leah started their own podcast, Captain Sandy and Leah Rae Show. While the two have since gone on to host their own respective podcasts, they continue to release episodes on the same YouTube channel.

On Nov. 17, 2022, Sandy took to Instagram to gush about Leah and their relationship.

"4 years ago, I parked your car in Los Angeles, I kissed you, and that's when I knew I would spend the rest of my life loving you, protecting you, and teaching you what the meaning of 'do overs' meant hahah I love you Leah Rae," she wrote. "You're my soulmate, and I wanna grow old together."

In an interview with Us Weekly, Sandy shared insights into preserving her long-distance relationship with Leah.

"We're figuring it out. We're madly in love," she told the outlet. "Leah and I just were in Miami together, and I'm like, 'We need to go once a month. We need that time.' We're three-day people. So three days is perfect, and that's our goal. In those three days, it's all about us, and the phones are off, which is great."

Several months later, in June, the Below Deck Med captain discussed managing her relationship while filming the popular Bravo show.

"Communication and the reality is it's only six weeks. So, it's like having something new every time you come back. It's pretty cool every time," Sandy told Us Weekly. "We're building a house, so [we do] a lot of visits to Florida, and we're off to the Hamptons. [We are] just enjoying life because I think the older you get, the more experiences [you want]."

On Sept. 19, 2023, Sandy shared the exciting news of her engagement with Leah on social media! Accompanied by four photos capturing the proposal, Sandy joyfully declared in the caption, "[It's] official! I asked Leah to marry me, and she said YES! We are engaged! Stay tuned for [the] wedding."

Only a day prior, Sandy confirmed to E! News that she proposed to Leah after five years of dating.

"I have been thinking about marrying Leah for years," Sandy told the outlet. "I knew from the minute I met her, but the timing had to be right. I wanted to make sure we could truly do life together first."

"I planned a boat ride to a beautiful cove. I had it decorated with flowers with a path to a small table accompanied by three violinists where we could sit and have a small date," she continued. "I shared my vision list of love I had written and wanted, then got on one knee. Then, she said, 'Yes!'"

In mid-April 2024, Sandy and Leah officially put their Colorado townhouse on the market for $685,000. With their readiness to depart Denver evident, the couple's next destination remains uncertain as their Florida residence awaits completion.

Back in February, Sandy revealed to local Florida outlet First Coast News that their home in Nocatee, Fla., was left in limbo after the developers went "MIA with all of our money."

"We dipped into our bank account and used every penny we had, and this is our finished product," Sandy explained. She noted that they anticipate an added expense of nearly $800,000 after hiring additional workers to complete the project.

"We want justice and would like our money back along with the other victims," Sandy said in a statement via People.