They say that “opposites attract” and this was clearly the case for Linda and Ben. Right from the beginning, it was clear how different (and yet how perfect) they were for each other. Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of working on a set of beautifully simple and infinitely meaningful rings for this special couple.
They didn’t want a traditional engagement ring. Linda was a yoga teacher and a decidedly anti-diamond girl. Ben worked at a start up and liked to joke that his German heritage meant he had absolutely no sense of humour. Linda wryly agreed, and liked to make fun of him for it.
This is their story, beautifully told by Linda in her engagement announcement on Facebook.
Linda and Ben's story
“The story begins on a Winter Wonderland ice rink next to Bondi Beach. He planned the date, she got predrinks. As they raced down the rink, she skidded and fell for him. She won. Competitive but impressed, he asked her to dinner. They feasted on Italian and drank in each precious moment. With a mischievous grin, she bet him Messina wasn’t open. He won. She nervously inhaled her scoop as he looked at her like no one had ever done before. Gulp. Something was in the air, and in her eyes. There must be, as she couldn’t see any ice cream left in her cup. So she did the only other thing she could to ease the butterflies…
Three dates in, he asked her about her values and future plans. One month in, she cooked him flaming croissants with ham and cheese that was still cold inside. They were officially in a relationship the next day, though she wasn’t allowed to touch the oven for a while. Two months in, he showed her a tentative 9 month relationship timeline. She surprised herself by extending it to 18…
Weekend getaways, moving in together, various overseas trips, meeting extended families, and multiple career changes for both parties later, the 18 month plan gradually transitioned into a 5 year plan.
She’s a process-driven, spontaneous, detail-oriented romantic who doesn’t believe in diamonds; he’s an outcome-focussed, structured, big picture realist with a particular attachment to symbolism. They’re both feminists who are passionate about thinking outside the box.
So they discussed, designed and decided on wedding bands as engagement pendants, and each planned a surprise proposal and gift in appreciation of one another. Their rings represent the duality of life; their greatest strength being their mind-bogglingly opposing but ultimately complementary differences.
Shiny; matte. Black; white. Up; down. Connected via two infinite Möbius strips, on different planes but on the same continuous path. Connected by the same values and enduring desire to learn from and grow with each other, despite all the differences.
They, or rather, WE… ARE ENGAGED!”
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