Real Couple: Lauren & Justin
Real Couple: Lauren & Justin
Real Couple: Lauren & Justin
I can’t believe it’s already been a year since my first visit to the beautiful Okanagan Valley (and I may have drank a lot of there wine since 😉). The trip involved a very special surprise proposal, and here’s the whole story!
The outcome certainly was a brilliant masterpiece!
Last July, Lauren from Sinclair & Co. Design said “I do” at 50th Parallel Estate Winery in stunning Lake Country, B.C. and I was so fortunate to have played a part in the start to her happily ever after. Lauren has been such an amazing supporter of Stór by Margot from the beginning, that when it came to making her ring, I definitely knew my little perfectionist brain would be on overdrive!
Her fiancé, Justin, reached out to me several months prior to start working on the proposal. He wanted to make sure he had the perfect setup to surprise Lauren, and figured in the middle of a busy wedding season of her own, a proposal would be far from Lauren’s mind. So the planning began! A trip to the Okanagan for wine tours and sightseeing was already in the works; and because he already knew they wanted to get married in B.C., he decided on the most perfect spot… the exact place where they would say their vows in 2023 (beautiful!).
The ring itself was a challenge, mostly because when designing for a friend, the pressure is on!! 😉 Often times with a solitaire design, one might think they are easier, but the truth is, proportions and final touches are everything, because there is not much to distract from them. Although the focus of this solitaire was on her fabulous Round Brilliant Diamond, Lauren loved the look of Aila, with tiny diamonds everywhere, adding extra brilliance and small details throughout her band; the outcome certainly was a brilliant masterpiece!
When I started designing, what I did not expect, was to be invited to this proposal in person. Justin, being the extremely thoughtful person that he is, thought it would be exciting for me to see it all unfold. And on that day, I may have been more nervous than he was!
We arrived at 50th Parrallel Estate Winery, where Lauren thought we were just on a wine tour. We sampled their delicious wines and walked among the vineyard, but Justin & I could barely taste what we were drinking at the time, hoping it all went smoothly. We were led up a hill to a beautiful lookout, surrounded by Lake Okanagan and the mountain views. At the time, Lauren thought there was a wedding setup happening, but it was all really for her! Even the photographer walking around was part of ‘that wedding’, and she had no idea what was about to happen.
Set up, overlooking this incredible backdrop, was a simple yet beautiful spot, where Justin, equipped with The Mrs Proposal Box, bent on one knee and asked Lauren to marry him. Tears, laughter and bubbly followed, and I got to see firsthand, just how special that moment is, when one of my rings first gets revealed. If you really want the full story, pop over to her instagram and watch the reaction on video! We were so fortunate to have Boketto Photography there to capture the moment, with a gorgeous setup by Kaitlyn Ellis Design.
When I revisit these gorgeous images, I can’t help but think how special it is to have your proposal on camera. It’s definitely harder to coordinate, and pull off a surprise, but these reactions are priceless memories for L & J, and hope more of my couples get to do the same! And when you do please, please share, we would love to celebrate that moment with you. 🙂
