The story
We’re university sweethearts and the way we met is still one of my favourite stories to tell.
It was literally my first day moving to Newcastle for university. I didn’t know a single person, I was trying to hold myself together while figuring out where I was supposed to be, and in the middle of all that quiet chaos, Joseph appeared. He happened to be one of the seniors volunteering that day for freshers welcome.
He helped me settle into my studio, get all my documents sorted, find my footing in a city that still felt entirely foreign to me. Then a few of us ended up going for dinner together that evening, and that’s when we had a chance to properly talk and get to know each other better.
After that, we just kept finding our way back to each other. We spend a lot of time together at the library and the student union. We’d spend hours there without it ever feeling like too long. Turns out we also had so much in common, similar hobbies, the same taste in food, the same sports we were into. There was no big moment or grand realisation, we just slowly became each other’s people and eventually he became my best friend.
He later confessed his feelings for me on Valentine’s Day that year, and I rejected him. Not because I didn’t feel anything, but because I was terrified of losing my best friend. Looking back, I had feelings for him, but I just wasn’t ready to admit it. But he was very patient and persistent, and eventually I stopped overthinking of what we could be and gave us a chance.
Ever since, we’ve been together for over 8 years now. He was my first love, and I’m pretty sure he’ll be my last.
Dropping hints
We’ve been together long enough that marriage has always been a part of our conversations and future plans. We’d talked about it openly, our timelines, our life goals, what we both wanted. So, when we reached the point in life we’d always talked about, I had a feeling it was coming. I just didn’t know when exactly.
As for the proposal itself, he had plenty of hints to work with. I’m an open book with him, so whenever I came across a proposal I loved or a ring style, I was obsessing over, I’d just show him all the time. No subtlety whatsoever. He basically had a whole mood board of my preferences without me even realising I was making one, haha.
And honestly, he took every single detail in and delivered the proposal of my dreams. So completely and perfectly that I couldn’t have designed it better myself.
The proposal
So, the proposal happened in Budapest, Hungary, and I genuinely had no idea.
He’d casually mentioned right before the trip that we’d go to Paris after, so in my head I’d thought that’s where it was happening. I mean, it’s Paris. That’s where proposals happen. Budapest didn’t even cross my mind.
We usually book a photographer during our trips, just for lovely travel photos and memories, so I knew there was a photoshoot planned that day. Budapest is so beautiful and romantic, so I was fully prepared with my outfits, heels etc. He even helped me pick what to wear, which he always does, so nothing felt out of the ordinary. He looked so calm and normal about the whole thing, I didn’t suspect a single thing.
He’d even suggested we take the bus to the shoot location very casually. Then last minute he switched it to a taxi because he was worried my heels would hurt. I thought nothing of it. I found out later the bus was completely made up, just to keep everything feeling very low-key and casual, just to keep the whole thing feel as ordinary as possible.
When we arrived, we met the photographer, who was in on the whole plan, and he started taking us through different spots, pretending to shoot. I was fully committed, posing away, thinking it was just our photoshoot.
Then, at the bottom of the stairs leading up to Gellért Hill, the photographer stopped us and said he wanted to try something. He told us there was a stunning viewpoint where he loves capturing candid couple shots, and his idea was to blindfold us both, take off the blindfolds at the same time, and photograph that first reaction. I thought it was such a creative idea and just went along with it.
The moment I lifted my blindfold; my mind went completely blank. He was standing right there in front of a “Will You Marry Me?” sign, roses and candlelight all around him, Forever, Ever and Always playing in the background, during golden hour on top of Gellért Hill, with the stunning view of Budapest as a backdrop, the proposal of my dreams. I didn’t even hear a word he said, I was so shocked, so overwhelmed, so completely caught off guard, but I said yes. Of course, I said YES!! I can’t wait to marry my first love!
The ring
It’s the ring I’ve always dreamt of, the oval cut diamond ring with a hidden halo. But what makes it truly special isn’t just how it looks. It’s the fact that he remembered.
At some point, long before any of this, I had shown him exactly this style, just casually, the way I always did, sending him things I loved with no real agenda behind it. And he held onto it. I love that he remembers the exact style I showed him previously and he took that detail and turned it into something real, having it custom made at a local jeweller, just for me.
Every time I look at it, I think about that. The quiet thoughtfulness behind it. The fact that he was paying attention all along.
Engagement party / celebrations
After the proposal, he’d already reserved a restaurant for us in Budapest, so we went for a celebratory dinner. It was this gorgeous, cosy little setting, just the two of us, and I think that’s exactly what I needed in that moment.
I spent most of dinner asking him every single question I could think of. How did you plan this? How did you keep a straight face? How long have you been sitting on this? He answered every single one with the biggest smile on his face. I also had to ask him to repeat what he said during the proposal, as I honestly didn’t hear anything. So, he had to say it all again and I don’t know how to explain it, but hearing it in that quiet moment, already his fiancée, already knowing how the story goes, it hit completely differently. The most unreal feeling. Genuinely the best evening of my life.
The outfit
As I mentioned above, I planned my outfits for the photoshoot, so the outfit has already been planned, and he also helped me choose it. So, I was wearing this mermaid dress, which I still loved so much, but if I knew or had hints in advance that proposal might be happening, I would’ve worn another dress I had in my luggage. But I wore it the next day for our engagement photoshoot he planned, so it was also super cute.
Since I thought it was just a photoshoot, my outfit was already planned, and he actually helped me choose it, which in hindsight is very funny. I wore a mermaid dress and I genuinely loved it, but I’ll be honest, if I’d had even the slightest hint that a proposal was happening, I would’ve reached for the other dress sitting in my luggage. You know how it is; you always want to feel that extra bit special for the moment you’ll remember forever.
But here’s the thing, he’d also planned an engagement photoshoot for the very next day, so I got to wear that dress after all. It all worked out perfectly, and honestly, looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing.
Wedding plans so far
We always knew we wanted a destination wedding, and we’ve chosen the country, though we’re keeping that one close to our chests for now!
We’re very much in the thick of planning at the moment. The big things are locked in, we have a planner, the venue is booked, which already feels surreal to say out loud. Our wedding is happening early next year, so it’s all starting to feel very real, very fast.
We’ve had our first glimpses of how it’s all coming together and honestly, the excitement is indescribable. I cannot wait for our big day.
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