Kelly Clarkson graces the cover of the latest PEOPLE issue on newsstands now, and inside, she talks about how she had never been in love before meeting her fiance Brandon Blackstock.

"I was dating skinny jeans and I needed Wranglers," the singer, 30, tells PEOPLE in this week's cover story.

So when she fell hard for music manager Brandon Blackstock a year ago, she knew it was something special.

Relaxing at their Nashville home together in December, Clarkson recalls, "Out of nowhere I just said, 'Thanks for being an awesome guy.' I've never been loved properly by a man, and I was just like, 'I thank you so much for that.' "

What she didn't realize was that Blackstock, 36, was about to propose. "Not a damn clue!" she says. "If I did I would have worn something besides Uggs and a sweatshirt with no bra."

Now the couple is busy planning an "earthy" outdoor fall wedding at home – think yellow roses for Texas.

"I didn't know life could be this happy," she says.

I can't wait to read my copy, just got it yesterday. Love me some Kelly Clarkson ya'll! ;)

~Vanessa

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