Life has a habit of surprising you when you least expect it. One minute, you’re weeping into your Assam tea then, in the blink of an eye, you’re crying with joy. On Friday, my life changed forever when John got down on bended knee, presented me with a beautiful ring and asked that all important question, ‘Will you marry me?’ It was so, so unexpected but the most wonderful surprise. So, of course, I said YES!
I haven’t stopped smiling since (it’s doing my fine lines no good) and already I have ideas for how I’d like our big day to look. Before I start getting carried away, there was one important job on Sunday that needed completing. Finding an engagement ring that fit. John had fit the bill perfectly, one gold ring with a solitaire. Unique, classy and timeless. It was what I’d always wanted, it was just a wee bit too small.
We woke early to make the journey to Saltaire Village, a Victorian model village within the city of Bradford, where John had purchased my ring. Named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2001, the village oozed quirk. We happened to arrive on the final day of Saltaire Festival and so the heritage village was awash with colour and alive with the sound of music.
As it’s term time, sadly this visit was to be fleeting. We headed directly to Salts Mill as John had chosen my ring from a range by designer, Mirri Damer. Stocked at Kath Libbert Jewellery Gallery, we were merely there to have it re-sized… or so I thought. Once inside, I was given a different ring to try on for size. It was the perfect fit. The more I looked at it, the more I liked it. When I discovered that this was the ring that John’s family had preferred too, I was swayed. This was to be my engagement ring. White gold and set with five diamonds, it sparkled as it caught the light. I was smitten.
It’s not easy choosing a ring that you’re going to wear for the rest of your life, so it has to be the right choice. To make sure I wasn’t acting on impulse, we decided to head to Salts Diner for a spot to eat and to mull over the choices. You see, my heart was tied to the ring John chose but my head was telling me white gold was more practical. I was torn.
I adore that my other half researched engagement rings and chose a designer he knows I will love for years to come. I adore that he chose a ring based on my tastes and preferences. But, life’s a funny old thing and sometimes the perfect ring is totally different to what you first thought. I believe the same is true about wedding dresses!
The weekend has passed in a blur of visiting family and speaking to so many people about my news. I’m so thankful for all of your kinds words and well wishes over on Instagram, I feel truly blessed. The Internet can be a funny old world, but a world I’m glad to belong to.
“Your hand in my hand is where it belongs.
Your hand in my hand as we walk along.”
Mark Sperring and Britta Teckentrup
53.836607-1.785755
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