The Engagement Story With Our Social Editor, Holly Harris

Our Social Editor Holly recently got engaged to her partner of 10 years on a remote island in The Philippines. Holly and Joe’s engagement journey is filled with beautiful heartwarming moments.

The story…

We officially met in school when we were 16, but our story goes back even further. Our parents were part of the same circles, so we actually attended some of the same childhood birthday parties (though sadly, there are no photos to prove it – yet). Last year marked out 10 year anniversary, which we celebrated in Santanyi, Majorca.

Dropping hints…

As we’ve been together 10 years, we’d naturally had plenty of conversations about our future and how we both dreamed of getting married someday. So like any long-term girlfriend, of course I dropped hints. I had a whole Pinterest board full of wedding ring inspo, which I sent to Joe on a few occasions.

While I wasn’t entirely set on one specific ring design, there was one thing I was certain about: I wanted the incredible fine jeweller, ANUKA, to be part of the design process. Having worked with ANUKA since the start of my business journey, I had complete trust in her to create something truly beautiful when the time came.

I also dropped major hints that I always wanted to be proposed to at sunset on a beach. But really the only thing I wanted was for it to be completely private.

The proposal

We knew we wanted to go on a big trip at the start of 2025, but didn’t know where. Knowing this, Joe contacted ANUKA as he knew he wanted to propose on that trip.

We ended up choosing the Philippines and during our time there, stayed on a beautiful remote island off the coast of El Nido, Dorocatan Island – it was complete paradise and completely off-grid, which is our idea of heaven.

I can’t believe I’m writing this as I was convinced I would know when he was about to pop the question, but I had absolutely no idea it was coming – I never imagined he’d bring the ring all the way to Asia!

On our first evening as the sun began to set, Joe suggested we head to the private beach in front of the hut we were staying in. When he set his phone down to ‘take a photo,’ I suddenly realised what was happening. The moment was perfect – a beautiful sunset, the sound of the ocean and no one around. We decided to keep our engagement just between us for the rest of the trip, soaking in every moment of our little bubble before sharing the news with family and friends.

The ring

Working with ANUKA for so long, I’d developed a real appreciation for jewellery and a much clearer idea of what I liked (and didn’t like) when it came to different styles, so I knew I wanted the ring to be sustainably sourced, modern, and to feature some kind of wave-inspired design.

Turns out, Joe knows me even better than I know myself and the final design was so much more perfect than I ever could’ve imagined.

Engagement party

We spoke about this a lot when we were away, as we love to host and this was the perfect opportunity for a big celebration. We’ve now booked one of our favourite venues in Bristol and invited all of our favourite people. It’s going to be such a mix of loved ones, and we honestly can’t wait.

The outfit

Just before we headed to the beach, Joe suggested we get dressed up a little. Since we’d been staying in a beach hut on a remote island, living in swimwear and skipping the whole “getting ready” routine most evenings, I did feel a flicker of suspicion. I even joked and asked if he was about to pop the question – but he played it off so smoothly that I was convinced (once again) it wasn’t happening.

In the end, I wore a yellow top with a white linen skirt, a yellow and white flower clip in my hair, and butter-yellow nails. I was completely barefoot and bare-faced, very much not ready for the moment! But looking back, the yellow touches from that evening have inspired us to consider butter-yellow bridesmaid dresses, as a sweet little nod to the moment.