'Law & Order' Alum Elisabeth Röhm Engaged to Peter Glatzer: We 'Had an Instant Connection'

Elisabeth Röhm is engaged!

The Law & Order alum, 48, is set to wed film producer and hotel developer Peter Glatzer, the happy couple tells PEOPLE exclusively.

"We've been together for almost a year and look forward to celebrating our love and commitment to each other this winter," says Röhm. "We now live together in Beachwood Canyon."

Glatzer, 57, also dishes on the moment he popped the question, sharing that he "played it cool" before getting down on one knee.

"We drove up to Santa Barbara for the night and the ruse was just a quick get-away," he says. "Of course, I brought the ring and champagne. We went to the rooftop of the hotel, where the views were beautiful and I played it cool while some people left the area. Then, when I couldn't take it anymore, I dropped down on one knee."

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Röhm says she and Glatzer had an "instant connection" when they met several years ago and embarked on a friendship that later became a romantic relationship.

"We met through a very close mutual friend and had an instant connection and a beautiful strong bond. Thanks to COVID slowing us down, we had the opportunity to recognize and acknowledge that the friendship between us had become much more," she says.

"The moment I met Lis four years ago, I felt so drawn to her," her beau adds. "Since she was seeing someone at the time, I pursued a friendship. I'm so glad that I did. It's a great basis for a marriage."

The pair note that they've bonded over their shared passion for sustainability and even plan to have a "zero-waste" wedding.

"Peter started a sustainable lifestyle brand called SHFT with Adrian Grenier in 2010 and has been developing sustainable hotels for the past few years," Röhm says. "He and I share an environmental ethos and are involved with some of the same organizations."

"We both feel the sustainable imperative strongly, so we bonded over that," Peter says. "We plan to have a sustainable, zero-waste affair celebrating our love in the winter."

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In addition to planning her upcoming nuptials, Röhm has been preparing for the release of her latest acting project, Notorious Nick, on Aug. 6, as well as Switched Before Birth, a Lifetime movie she directed set to debut Oct. 16.

The star also launched a podcast, Killer's Vault, last month and continues to work on The RESPECT Project, a "thought leadership forum" she co-founded.