My fiancé booked our wedding venue before he even proposed.
The day you get engaged is one that so many of us dream will be completely magical, and for me, it truly was. Most of us don't know how it's going to happen or what the day will look like, but we know what the outcome will be. That is the most exciting thing.
My fiancé, Joseph, is not one for taking the conventional route; he is creative, quirky, and unpredictable in the most incredible way.
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And when it came to our engagement, he didn't disappoint.
On Valentine's Day this year, it was pouring with rain, and I loved it. It was such a beautiful sight; I love the quiet streets, the sound of the raindrops and the blurred outlook. During the day we were busy with other events, but in the evening, after a quick visit to a local bar, I walked into our apartment to the most beautiful scene.
At the end of a rose petal walkway, the entire place had been dressed up in pretty cushions, flowers, and tea light candles, which I later learned was thanks to our parents and Joseph's lovely aunt from The Styling Project.
Joseph and I take it in turns to plan Valentine's Day, but this year he'd really excelled himself. Heading out to the balcony, we drank champagne, admired the view, and talked about life and love.
Earlier that day, I'd given him my silly gift; three ceramic mice holding a lightbulb, which, in my defence, I thought was the perfect present as we were about to move into our new home. But his gift to me was far more sentimental.
He handed me a scrapbook that contained a timeline of our life together. Throughout this book, there were photos of us with our friends and family, beautiful messages, and lots of in jokes.
Then, on the final page, there was a photo of a ring. Turning to Joseph with excitement, he asked me to marry him. Of course, I said yes!
Joseph and I have been friends since we were 14. We have both been tested by life and challenged in so many ways. We haven't always been directly in each other's lives, but somehow fate has always brought us back together.
The difficult times we have been through make us both so keen to hold on to the love and joy, as we know how important it is.
The night of the proposal was such a whirlwind. It was a mix of emotion, love, and absolute chaos in the best possible way. Shortly after I said yes, Joseph slyly informed me of his plans, which he had been hiding for months, right down to the booking of our wedding venue.
And gosh, it was a beautiful venue! I couldn't have picked it better myself.
Calling him my fiancé is the world's greatest honour. A man who knows me better than I know myself. Who cares for me, loves me, and has chosen to spend the rest of his life with me. He did his own research, found the perfect wedding venue, and reserved the best day in the best season in 2024 for us to get married.
No, I'm not going to divulge any little secrets here, but all I will say is he definitely picked the perfect place.
Joseph, you make me smile through the hardest of times; you are always by my side through the darkest moments; you keep me grounded and you give my days endless moments of happiness. So saying yes, to you was the easiest decision of my life. You sure were confident in me saying yes, and honestly, it makes for the best story. Your confidence in me and our future is so comforting to the most indecisive woman (aka, me).
I love planning events; I love organising and arranging anything and everything, but my gosh this is the most beautiful thing not to arrange. Visiting the venue two weeks later I saw how incredible it was. It's rustic, open and embraces the pure beauty of the Hunter Valley. It is a dream. And a dream that I get to live out with the man I love the most.
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