An Ethica Diamonds Love Story | Newquay, Cornwall - The Tabitha Ring
Some proposals are planned down to the last detail. The restaurant booked, the speech rehearsed, the photographer hidden behind a bush with a telephoto lens. And then there is Reece's proposal - which involved a kind stranger, a coat pocket full of gloves, and a moment that almost slipped away before he grabbed it with both hands.
Six Months In
Reece and his fiancée had been together for just under six months when he proposed. Which, as timelines go, is not the longest - but as Reece puts it, he knew from the first three dates.
Not because of one particular moment. Because of everything, really. The way she joined in with his ADHD stims and his general demeanour without a second thought. The fact that she is not artificial - his words and has never once devalued him for who he is or what he does. Their core values were aligned from the very first date. Some people spend years working out whether they are with the right person. Reece had a pretty good idea by date three.
"She truly cares for all my emotions and has never once devalued me for who I am or what I do. Our core values were the same from the first date, and from the first three dates, I knew."
When you know, you know. And Reece very much knew.
The Proposal: York Minster and a Stroke of Luck
Reece chose York. Specifically, the magnificent York Minster - one of the most extraordinary buildings in the country, all pale stone and ancient grandeur.
They were taking selfies in front of the cathedral when a passer-by offered to take their photograph. Of course they said yes. The stranger taking multiple shots, getting all the angles. You can imagine Reece thinking, this is the perfect moment to have this photographed, the stranger nor his partner.
And then Reece realised he had not actually got the ring out yet.
The box was in his coat pocket, carefully disguised among his gloves to avoid any suspicious bulges. His perfect moment was evaporating in front of him. So he did the only sensible thing - he asked the stranger if she would mind stepping back a little further for a few more shots. The stranger obliged. And while she was repositioning, Reece quietly retrieved the box from his pocket, stepped back, and proposed.
He says he could barely get the words out.
She said yes - the words you've been waiting for.
They spent a lovely half hour afterwards talking in front of the Minster - just the two of them, in one of the most beautiful spots in England, newly engaged.
"I could barely get the words out of my mouth. She of course said yes. And we had a lovely half an hour or so talking in front of the monument."
When someone proposes, it's really that moment of realising you get to tell them exactly why you love them, exactly why you want to call them your wife or husband, and being able to show them, you're my person, I choose you to spend the rest of my life with, choose you to wake up to every day and conquer whatever obstacles come our way. It's these moments that you don't take for granted.
The Ring
Reece came to Ethica Diamonds looking for something with colour and character - a ring that would suit his fiancée's aesthetic and feel genuinely personal rather than generic.
After some guidance from our in-house designer Laura they found the one. When the ring arrived he says he revelled in its beauty - the colour of the gemstone, the way the lab grown diamonds alongside it were positioned, the overall presentation. His fiancée felt the same. She loved the colour. She loved the accent diamonds. It fitted her perfectly.
"When I first saw this, I revelled in the beauty of the ring. The colour of the gemstone and the presentation of the gems was perfect. My future wife loved the colour, loved the minor lab grown diamonds alongside and it perfectly fits her aesthetic."
The Ethica Experience
Reece arrived at Ethica without any particular ring knowledge - his words, not ours and was a little anxious about it.
"The communication was fantastic, and never once did I think that I wasn't being looked after. I didn't feel ridiculed or anything of the sort given my lack of any ring-based knowledge, and felt like I was really cared about, which was really nice."
It's not just about buying a ring, we love romance, as you can tell thats why we all work designing and selling bridal jewellery, especially engagement rings. To be apart of the full story, the search, the design and seeing and hearing the story unfold brings us so much joy.
Congratulations Reece and to your wonderful fiancée. Thank you for trusting us with something this important and for sharing your story so warmly with us. York Minster is a magnificent backdrop for a proposal.
We wish you both a lifetime of happiness, shared values, and someone always willing to join in.
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