How did you meet?
It’s a bit of a long and winding tale. Karla and I were at a Sunday sesh at a popular Perth venue. For a moment, the crowds parted and we made sustained eye contact. The crowds then reintegrated and we lost sight of each other for the rest of the evening. The following day at work I was telling my colleagues about this moment. I walked through the lobby of a building and I looked up and saw karla standing there unsuspecting, waiting to deliver some flowers (karla is a florist). I was too shocked to make an approach but the serendipity of the moment was not lost on me. Later that week, I saw a strange girl had viewed my Instagram stories and the classic millennial courting ritual commenced – in the DM’s. The rest is history!
Where was your first date?
Our first date was at a local Perth brewery – Steph walked away feeling friend zoned, haha, but it was very sweet.
What were your first impressions of each other?
Steph – My first impression of karla was one of intimidation – she’s very cool, calm and collected! I could not get a read on her but was determined to find out who she was under the surface.
Karla – I was shocked by how nervous Steph was when we first met after chatting online for a couple of weeks, it was very sweet. Despite this it was so refreshing to be able to chat for many hours. We got along so well despite how completely different we are.
If your partner was a type of food, what would they be?
Steph – hmmm I think Karla would have to be a fresh pasta dish with red sauce – feel good comforting food
Karla – Steph gives me the ‘ordering pizza on a Friday night’ feeling.
What was the biggest thing that surprised you about your partner?
Steph – I would say, what a weirdo she is haha. She is an incredibly cool and creative individual. But also, there is the most bizzare little gremlin living under the surface – I bloody love it!
Karla – How silly and carefree Steph is in all aspects of life. It feels like nothing bothers her and it’s an amazing quality to have. More human’s need to be like Steph.
When did you realise that you wanted to marry this person?
Steph – It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment. I worked a night shift for about 8 months straight, we were like ships in the night. The year was very challenging for us, karla was running her business and I was not on the same schedule, I couldn’t support her in a physical way. We did, against all odds, manage to have precious time together. We were still having a laugh and special moments – I knew this was a partnership for forever.
Karla – I can’t remember the exact moment but the feeling started to brew pretty early on for me. I had never felt so supported and understood by someone before. She really pushed me to follow my dreams when I didn’t have confidence in myself. I knew that someday I would marry this woman.
What is the biggest thing you have learnt from your partner?
Steph – I am a recluse by nature but seeing Karla cherish her friendships and the people around her has motivated me to want to be a part of the outside world. She is very generous with her time and skills. I will hear her pull into the driveway, an hour later she still hasn’t come into the house because she’s busy chatting to the neighbours and making them bunches of flowers from the back of her van.
Karla – Steph has taught me so much about not taking life so seriously and to not sweat the small things, I’m forever grateful for that. I feel like she has allowed me to learn so much about who I truly am and to block out external pressures and opinions. I become myself more each day because of her
How did you propose?
Why did you choose a handcrafted ring?
Steph – I wanted to keep it low key – firstly because karla is a very suspicious individual and would be onto me as soon as something appeared to be afoot. I surprised her with a small getaway in the hills of Perth and proposed by a running creek. Unfortunately, I maybe under planned a little too much, so just cried a lot and didn’t manage to get any words out. I think she thought I was breaking some bad news to her momentarily. We got there in the end and it was an amazing weekend!
Steph – I have always been pretty interested in the craftsmanship behind jewellery and Karla’s creative tastes had exposed me to this niche of textured, organic style pieces. I actually bought a small ‘The Line of Sun’ ring for Karla’s 27th birthday, so knew I would one day consult with you for ‘the big one’.
Can you tell us a bit about the journey of collaborating on a bespoke ring?
The journey of consulting with Alice on this ring was seamless. Being on the opposite side of the country, I did have some anxiety about not being able to consult face to face. Alice’s updates and constant reassurances quelled any concern I had. I chose this design because I had always been attracted to trilliant cut stones and knew it would make for a truly unique piece – karla is such a unique creative individual I wanted a lifelong jewelry piece to reflect that.
Alice and her team did the most amazing job, when the ring arrive to the house I was absolutely blown away by the artistry.
