We’re Engaged: The Proposal story!!

I can’t believe I’m typing this – even sitting here with the most stunning diamond ring glistening at me from my finger while I type, I’m pinching myself!
I truly am the luckiest girl in the world – I’ve found this incredible man, who makes me happier than I have ever been; and he wants to spend the rest of his life with me! It just doesn’t get any better!

Anyway, I wanted to take a minute to share a bit more of how it all happened on here; rather than simply glimpses in instagram captions (plus, it’s another opportunity to shout it from the rooftops – just my own little internet rooftop!)

So, how did it happen?

We were down in Cornwall for a long weekend with my parents and M’s parents. We arrived on the Thursday evening and on the Friday afternoon M & I had said we were going to go for a walk with my camera & tripod and take some nice photos of the two of us. We are trying to up our photography game and we don’t have enough photos of us together so it was a nice opportunity to take some.

We went down to one of my favourite beaches, which when we got there it was still really busy (it was such a sunny day!)
We walked all the way to the far end of the beach which was a bit quieter and M suggested climbing onto a bit of the headland that had separated from the main coastline and was jutting out into the sea – it would mean the photos would be looking across the beach, from almost in the sea, rather than from the beach itself. The perfect view.

We clambered up, with camera bag in tow, and managed to get to the top (precariously, I might add!). We set up the tripod and got the camera shot framed up. He suggested starting with a shot of me looking out over the view, and so I looked away from him, out across the beach. I didn’t know it at the time but this was the point where he set the camera to film.

He then came over to me, got down on one knee, holding the most stunning ring I’ve ever seen and asked me to marry him!
Obviously, without any question I said yes, and put on the gorgeous ring that he had not only had made for me specially, but had designed himself by drawing it – I’ve never even seen him draw a stick man!

At this point he told me he had caught the whole thing on video – so sneaky and so wonderful to be able to look back on! (this photo below is a frame from the video!)

M stopped the filming and we took the opportunity, once I had wiped my tears, to take some pictures of the two of us (as originally planned, if slightly different photos!!) and then clambered back down the rock – this time only using one hand as there was no way I was letting my stunning ring anywhere near the seaweed covered rocks!

We started to wander back along the beach – I was just about holding it together, I kept welling up in complete disbelief; this wonderful man had asked me to marry him!!!
I was in no fit state to drive back so M had to drive the car (even though he doesn’t know the area so had to keep asking me which way to go!) and we headed back to the house.

It turns out that pretty much everyone around me has known about it all for months. M asked my parents for their permission over 6 weeks ago and his parents had been to the jewellers with him when he first commissioned the design (they also brought the ring down to Cornwall with them, so knew it was going to be that weekend!).

When we got back we found the 4 parents all lying on sunbeds outside, almost expecting us, so we headed out to them and I just cried “he asked me to marry him!!!” and that was it – tears, hugs & kisses, closely followed by bottles of champagne and calling the extended family to let them all know!

Absolutely everyone we spoke to was so thrilled – we even managed to get hold of my younger sister, Gemma, out in Bali (though we did have to wait until the next morning as it was the middle of the night there!)

We had dinner at Paul Ainsworth’s new restaurant in Rock; The Mariners, which was fantastic! One of the team told Paul about our engagement (as he was in the kitchen) and we had a really lovely chat with him. He was so friendly and so happy for us – we even got given a card from Paul, Emma and the rest of the team at the Mariners – how lovely of them!!!

By the time we got back we were all absolutely shattered – we had been on a huge walk that morning, added onto the emotions of the afternoon and all the champagne, wine and good food; we all needed a good nights sleep!

We spent the next few days down in Cornwall just letting it all sink in (and I basically spent the whole time just looking down at the stunning ring on my left hand to remind myself it was all real!) On Saturday evening we went back to the same beach for a BBQ and showed our parents the spot where he proposed – so so special!

We’ve not had much time just us since he proposed, simply because we only got back from Cornwall on Monday afternoon and then he had to head straight off for a work trip (typical eh?!) He’s back tomorrow night so it’ll be so lovely to spend a bit of time just us and let it all sink in and feel a bit less like I’m dreaming!

Before anyone asks (as I know you will all be excited to know!) we haven’t decided anything about when the wedding will be yet, or anything else for that matter, but I’m sure I’ll be sharing things as we go! So so exciting! 🙂