Courtesy of Sen. Susan Collins / AP Photo

A wedding is in the works for Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.

On Sunday, the 59-year-old senator became engaged for the first time to Thomas Daffron, chief operating officer of Jefferson Consulting Group, a lobbyist firm in Washington, D.C.

While a date has not been set and the senator will have to juggle the summer recess schedule, a "small, private" ceremony is being planned in Maine this summer, Collin's Senate office says.

"Senator Collins and Mr. Daffron are very happy and they look forward to celebrating this wonderful occasion with their families," said Kevin Kelley, spokesman for Senator Collins, said in a statement.

Daffron also has been involved in Republican politics for a long time and has served as chief of staff to former Republican senators Bill Cohen of Maine and Fred Thompson of Tennessee. He served as chief of staff to Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and was the national campaign manager for the presidential campaign of Elizabeth Dole.

Collins and Daffron first met in the 70's while they both worked  for then Sen. Bill Cohen, where Collins worked as a legislative assistant.  They remained friends through the years and started dating a few years ago.