ELLE’s Advertising Director Emma Spickett got engaged to her boyfriend of 3 and a half years, Sam at the end of 2015.
 

Follow Emma’s wedding planning from the ring, the venue and everything in-between and of course the all important dress every month on elleuk.com.

I met Sam, my now fiancée (I still can’t get used to calling him that and when I do feel the need to say the word in a strange voice) almost three and a half years ago on a night out in Brixton (I believe this is called meeting organically).

We were on holiday in Mauritius when he proposed and it was perfect.

I had endured the usual ‘do you think he will pop the question?’ by my colleagues in the run up to the holiday but I didn’t really give it much thought as I had given up trying to second-guess him.

We landed on Sam’s birthday and I was so busy making a fuss of him that it didn’t even cross my mind that he was planning to propose that day.

We were sat on the balcony of our hotel room watching the sun go down and drinking cocktails when he said he was going to put his birthday cards (that I had packed and brought with me) up in the room (which I must admit did seem slightly strange and he doesn’t even do this at home).

When he came back outside sporting a serious look (which is unusual for Sam), he said there was only one thing he wanted for his birthday and that was to spend the rest of his life with me. He got down on one knee armed with a small black box and as he opened it asked if I would marry him.

I was so taken back with surprise the first words that actually came out of my mouth were ‘oh my god…you have a ring and everything’! But of course I said yes.

He had purchased the ring from jewellers called Flawless Jewellery, which is near where I live in Chislehurst. The owner said Sam must have been thrilled that I loved the ring as apparently he was in there for ages trying to decide on what design to choose - he bought me a necklace once for my birthday that I didn’t like and has never bought me any jewellery since).

In the end he decided to go with his gut feeling, which was a beautiful three stone diamond trinity ring.

He did such a good job that naturally the no-jewellery ban has been lifted and he is now free to trust his instinct.

READ ALL ABOUT EMMA'S SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT DRESS HERE

Have you met our Reluctant Bride yet? Keep up to date with all of her wedding progress here...