Kelvin and Clare's love story began back in 2017, and has since been a whirlwind of shared moments and milestones. Most recently, in late Summer 2023, they got engaged - and that's where we came in!
Kelvin came to us in August 2023 with plans of proposing on a pre planned trip to Cornwall, somewhere that held precious memories for both of them. Kelvin chose to propose with our Piper Ring sample at the start of their trip, meaning that himself and Clare could choose her 'forever' ring together. It worked out perfectly, as Kelvin was able to book an appointment for the two of them in our jewellery showroom whilst they were down on holiday.
In this blog we caught up with Kelvin and Clare to learn more about their love story, proposal and engagement ring buying journey.
Kelvin, How Did You Meet Clare?
Clare and I met 'the modern way', we can probably leave it at that! That was in 2017, since then, life moved fast with Clare moving in with me in 2019 and last year we bought a house together.
When Did You Know You Wanted To Propose?
I suppose my proposal was overdue and following a friend's wedding in Mylor, Cornwall, I knew the time was right and began to work out a plan...! We had a holiday planned in Cornwall for late August. Cornwall is somewhere we visit most years together and has become a special place for us, so I wanted to link the proposal to this trip.
What Made You Choose Ethica Diamonds And How Did You Find Us?
I Googled "engagement rings Cornwall" and the top hit was Ethica, the website was fantastic but I still had lots of questions and really didn't know where to start, so I called. Olivia answered and I immediately knew I had made a good decision. After speaking with Olivia and my friend Tom in Cornwall, I had the framework to plan our engagement.
I decided to propose with a sample ring, the sparkliest I could find on the Ethica website, which was posted to me; I wanted Clare to be a part of the decision-making process so Olivia suggested that I bring Clare into the showroom while we were down in Cornwall, after I had proposed. The evening before I proposed, I asked Clare's Dad for permission and the next day we set off on our holiday to Cornwall.
- Kelvin proposed with our Piper Ring sample. Learn more about our Sample Service.
Tell Us About The Proposal! Did It Go As Planned?
My plan was to propose to Clare en-route, at the top of the Golden Cap, a high sea view point near Lyme Regis. We packed a picnic and set off on the steep walk to the top of the Golden Cap.
The weather and views were fantastic. We found a quiet spot and I got down on one knee. Clare said 'yes'! We got some great photos and took in the beautiful views.
I mentioned the surprise appointment I had booked with Olivia at Ethica so that we could choose and design a ring together. The other surprise was a two night stay in a boutique hotel in St Mawes before continuing with our original plan of staying up with friends in Mylor. Clare was very pleased with all of this and everything went to plan! We couldn't have asked for better weather either! Before getting to St Mawes, we stopped off at Port Isaac, somewhere Clare wanted to take me to.
How Did You Find the Ring Purchasing Experience?
Clare absolutely loved the experience of going to the Ethica showroom and trying on lots of styles. We liked the Trilogy design but couldn't find the perfect setting from the samples on our first visit. So we booked in another appointment and in the meantime, Clare spotted the Felicia Ring on the Ethica website. Olivia found us a sample of this design and we knew it was 'the one'.
Click here to enquire about booking an appointment with us.
It was all a lovely surprise for me (Clare). Kelvin did extremely well with all of the planning and I couldn't have wished for more. I am very lucky! We made some tweaks to the Felicia design and waited for it to go into production. We were so impressed by how beautifully finished it is. The claws have a delicate petal design holding the diamonds and we were grateful for the advice on diamond choosing; another very fun part of the process. As an extra surprise, Kelvin had it engraved on the inside with our initials and the date of our engagement.
Have You Started Planning the Wedding?
We have started planning our wedding in Salisbury Cathedral. Clare grew up in Salisbury and was a chorister there so this is a special place for her and has also become an important place for me because of Clare's connection. We are getting married at the end of May 2024 and we are in the process of finalising the rest of the plans for our special day.
We are so delighted we got to be a part of Kelvin and Clare's story, and so glad we helped them find their dream rings. Thank you much for letting us share your beautiful story. We wish you both a lifetime of happiness together, and we can't wait to see the wedding photos!
