Australia day marks the end of the Summer celebrations, but we thought we'd pay one final homage to the golden summery nights. Alana of Sunlit Studios shot the beautiful Lironne and Charl in the last magical hours of daylight. With a floral crown from Blossom and Twine and the couple's two dogs, the scene was set in a paddock at Maleny, Queensland.
How did you meet?
Just over 12 months ago, Charl and I met for breakfast on a blind date after a mutual friend passed on my number without telling me! We talked for two and a half hours (I was late for my hair appointment... oops!) about anything and everything. Charl is from Cape Town, and I was born and lived in Southern Africa when I was younger too, so we had a lot to chat about right from the start. I walked away from that breakfast just knowing I had to see him again.
The last 12 months have been a whirlwind, but at the same time it always feels like we've been together forever. We fell into a really comfortable place with each other very quickly and I've always known that I could be completely open and totally myself with him. Charl is the most genuine, caring, down-to-earth, considerate person I've ever met. Two weeks after we got together, he was already helping my dad fix the fence at my parents' place!
How did Charl propose?
The night he proposed was supposed to be a picnic at Mt Coot-tha with a few of my friends. As it turns out, all of them were in on the plan and the whole thing was just a set up to get me to my favourite place in Brisbane. He had rose petals and candles at the top of Mt Coot-tha, with champagne and chocolates and loads of flowers. All dressed up in his suit, with our song playing in the background, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It was beautiful and perfect, and my friends caught it all on camera and video.
Charl got the ring designed and made in South Africa with the help of his mum and sent across to New Zealand with his sister, where he went to pick it up. It's an emerald cut diamond, set in white gold with a halo of smaller diamonds and some diamonds in the band, in a vintage setting. It's the most beautiful ring I've ever seen. We had been shopping briefly together and found a ring completely different from what I had ever imagined, and then he secretly contacted his family to get the ball rolling.
What an adorable 'Save the Date' too!! Special thanks to Sunlit Studios for sharing with us! For more of their stunning photography check them out on Facebook or look them up in the Modern Wedding Supplier Directory.
MW x