Ecstatic mom Sarah Palin is over the moon with her daughter Bristol's engagement to 'American hero' and Medal of Honor winner Sgt Dakota Meyer. The former Alaska governor and one-time Vice Presidential candidate wrote a gushing response to the news on Saturday, hours after Bristol, 24, announced that she and the 26-year-old Marine were to be wed. Palin wrote on Facebook that she and the rest of her clan are 'honored to welcome Dakota into our family'. Welcome to the family! Sarah Palin posted a gushing response to the engagement of her daughter Bristol, right, to Sgt Dakota Meyer, left . Gushing: Sarah Palin and Meyer met while filming Palin's Amazing America series, above. She had invited the Medal of Honor winner to appear in the first season's final episode, filmed in Alaska . Announcement: Bristol, 24, shared her wedding plans with the world by posting the above photograph of her and Meyer kissing. He proposed at a pop concert on Friday evening in the Hard Rock Casino, Las Vegas . Palin also outed her future son-in-law as a die-hard traditionalist, revealing how he flew to Alaska a week before the proposal to ask Bristol's father, Todd Palin, and grandfather, Chuck Heath Snr, for their permission. The Republican poster girl was herself a key part of their first meeting. In the post she took the chance to recount her role bringing the two together by inviting Meyer to Alaska to film an episode of her Amazing America TV show. The post came as Meyer himself spoke out about his proposal, which he made on one knee at a concert by pop group Rascal Flatts on Friday evening in the Hard Rock Casino, Las Vegas. Noting that Bristol 'makes me a better man', he said he 'can't wait to spend the rest of my life with her and Tripp', her six-year-old son. Tripp was born to Bristol in 2008, when she was just 18, following her high-profile teen pregnancy, which was announced soon after Palin's bid for Vice President. In recent weeks Tripp and Meyer have been pictured playing together. Meyer also addressed the speed of their engagement, less than a year after they first met, saying: 'Marines aren't trained to stand around and let the grass grow under their feet'. It is unclear how long the pair have been dating, but in her engagement announcement Bristol implied they only saw one another infrequently at first. Social media pictures of the pair together only started appearing a few months ago. New family: Meyer is pictured above with Bristol and her six-year-old son, Tripp. Bristol has written repeatedly of how well Meyer gets along with her son, who was fathered by former flame Levi Johnston, to whom she was engaged twice before . Rock: Bristol followed the announcement image with this picture of her engagement ring . Bristol, even more excited than her mother, announced the engagement yesterday night on her Instagram page in a flurry of exclamation marks. She posted an image of the pair kissing, alongside the words: 'Truly the luckiest girl in the world, cannot wait to marry this man!!!!' It was quickly followed by a monochrome image of her finger adorned with a ring. The mother-of-one then uploaded a picture of her engagement ring and wrote a piece on her blog. It read: 'Last night, Sgt Dakota Meyer proposed and I said yes! 'Dakota came to Alaska to film Amazing America with my mom last year. He met Tripp during that time, and I’ve seen him in a few places where our paths have crossed since. Excitement: Meyer, who served in the Marines for four years, also gushed about the forthcoming nuptials . 'He’s visited us in Alaska, and I’ve visited his wonderful family in Kentucky. He’s wonderful with Tripp and I’m so proud to be marrying him. 'He’s so romantic! He asked me to marry him at a Rascal Flatts concert. The lead singer, Gary LeVox, dedicated Bless the Broken Road to us, and then Dakota got down on one knee and proposed! 'It’s amazing to see what happens when you place everything in life in God’s hands. He really is good and His plans are so much greater than our own.' Kentucky native Meyer, who served in the Marines for four years, said he is happier than he has been in years. First round: Palin also congratulated the pair on Twitter not long after the announcement . He wrote: 'Coming back from Afghanistan there were days I thought I may never be happy again, and I know there's a lot of you out there who know that feeling. 'We only have one life to live and we have to do our best to live it the right way, and Bristol makes me a better man. 'I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with her and Tripp. For the first time in a long time I can honestly say the best is yet to come! Thanks to everyone for your words of kindness and support. It means a ton to us.' Meyer was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2011 after repeatedly charging into a kill zone during a 2009 ambush in Kunar Province, Afghanistan in search of four of his missing soldiers. American hero: Meyer was awarded the Medal of Honor by Barack Obama in 2011 after repeatedly charging into a kill zone during a 2009 ambush in Kunar Province, Afghanistan in search of four missing soldiers . He was able to rescue 36 troops and kill eight Taliban attackers despite being shot in the arms. Although he did not save the four men he set out to find, he recovered their bodies and brought each of them to safety. He caused a stir in December for taunting ISIS members on social media - calling them cowards. He also wrote: 'Wonder if any ISIS members want to drop by and join my book club.' Since her mother's failed bid to become vice president in 2008, Bristol has appeared on Dancing with the Stars and featured in her own Lifetime show about raising her son, titled Bristol Palin: Life's a Tripp. She also released a best-selling memoir in 2011, Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far. Bristol broke up with ex-partner Johnston in 2009 and started an intense custody battle. However, in the midst of the battle, they also briefly reunited and were engaged again. But the match was short-livde and the two broke up again in the summer of 2010. Johnston has since married day-care worker Sunny Oglesby. The couple have two children together, Breeze Beretta and Indy Rae. Venue: Meyer proposed at a Rascal Flatts concert inside the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas .
Former governor and VP hopeful made excited announcement yesterday . Bristol, 24, accepted proposal from Meyer, 26, on Friday night in Las Vegas . Palin gushed that Meyer is 'an American hero and patriot... good and kind'
Revealed he flew to Alaska to ask Todd Palin for permission to propose . Couple met after Palin invited Meyer to appear on Amazing America in Alaska . Meyer also wrote celebratory post, saying Bristol 'makes me a better man'
Said swift proposal came because 'Marines aren't trained to stand around'