This styled shoot was special for Ring Tailor because Pat & Fiona are the first customers of their brand new business, which aims to help men find the perfect ring for their future fiances.
Pat and Fiona’s love was captured in the adventurous yet romantic setting of Blanche Point in Willunga, South Australia, with their furry friend Wilbur by their side. The resulting photos are blooming with warmth, affection and engagement inspiration.
Her dainty, bohemian engagement ring was the source of Fiona’s look: a messy braid with sporadic flowers complemented the alternative white lace covered playsuit and brought out a free-spirited edge.
With locally foraged and grown blooms and the locally made caramel, cinnamon and walnut cake, the romance continued through to the couple’s picnic dinner overlooking the Southern Ocean. Twinkling lights, local wine, gold rimmed plates and cutlery, and snuggly blankets brought layers of luxe and homeliness.
How did you meet? We both spent our early 20s doing a lot of soul searching. Fi moved to Sydney then back to Adelaide, then had 6 years in Brisbane. Pat, well he had to go a bit further and lived in Brisbane, New York, Texas, the UK, Albury Wodonga, Adelaide a few times in between, and then finally back to the Gold Coast where we finally came across each other. We certainly had to have our time figuring out who we were individually to be able to be the great couple we are today.
Who proposed and how?
Pat: I proposed to Fi on Christmas Eve (yep, super cliche!) after spending the day at the beach. I would have liked to propose there, but I was scared I would lose the ring in the sand. So when we came home, I cooked a lovely dinner and suggested we exchange presents early. I then convinced her that her present was big and she had to hide in the laundry while I got it out (she thought it was a puppy!) I then set up a camera, got down on one knee and asked her to come out. The rest is history!
How did you find the engagement ring? Luckily, I came across Ring Tailor who were amazing! They removed all the stress and identified the right jeweller for Fi’s ring based on my budget, style, and other parameters. We looked at her Pinterest page and I put in my requests for something timeless, unique, and elegant. From there, Ring Tailor facilitated the introduction to the right jeweller and the whole process was very simple.
How did you know your partner was the one?
Fi: A big factor that made me fall head over heels for Pat when we first met was how much fun we have on our own. We can hang out all day at the beach, go out drinking at a dark bar all night, or we can just be at home watching Stephen Hawking documentaries.
Pat: I’ve known it ever since we went on our first date. From the moment she walked down her front stairs, I was just blown away. I remember I used to keep thinking, “Someone’s playing a joke on me here!”, but nope, she is actually that gorgeous and lovely and fun and all mine! The kicker for me though, is that she is up for adventure and exploration. While she keeps my wondering soul grounded, she also encourages me to dream and explore.
What would you say the secret to a lifelong union is? What do you think will make a great marriage? Friendship. We are best mates… We laugh a lot! Being best mates, we support each other through thick and thin. We always know that the other will be there for support no matter what. We have both encouraged the other to take on bigger challenges than we would have had the courage to do if we were on our own. What will make our marriage great is the encouragement and support of best friends experiencing life together.
