Jemma & Ben’s Afternoon Falls Engagement

Jemma & Ben

I am a hopeless romantic, irrevocably and utterly. I am the kind of girl whose heart, without fail, always beats a little faster at a perfectly timed touch of fingertips or meaningful, lingering look. This is how today’s beautiful afternoon falls engagement shoot made me feel. The way that Ben looks at Jemma is what thousands of stories and songs are written about. Combine this look of devotion with their affectionate manner and an enchanting afternoon by the moody Somersby Falls on the NSW Central Coast, and you have yourself a perfectly lovely engagement session, all captured by the wonderful Jennifer Burch. Trust me – throw on some James Morrison and enjoy.

Jemma remembers how they came to be. “We actually met when we were 20, a bit of a ‘meant-to-be’ moment actually. It was a mutual friend’s 21st, though we were from completely different parts of that friend’s life so had never met. We were introduced at the party by a couple of cupid friends. We spent the rest of the night chatting with each other…”

“The amount of stories we have together could probably fill a bunch of books, but memorably we’ve had fun getting lost driving across American and New Zealand using paper maps. On our third day we went to a local beach on a spur of the moment date for ice cream and as the sun set there were dolphins… Ben still claims that he couldn’t have planned it better. All our adventures end with a story.”

Of the magical location for their engagement shoot, Jemma explains, “Somersby Falls is actually my favourite place on the Central Coast. I took Ben there on one of our first dates for a picnic and we went bushwalking. Ever since he always surprises me with picnics and many of them have been there, so now it’s a really special place for both of us, lots of laughs and memories.”

Asking someone to marry you would have to be up there with one of the most nerve wracking things anyone will ever have to do. There are many proposals stories, and all equally as sentimental and tear jerking to us at Polka Dot Bride. We adore the gentle simplicity of Jemma and Ben’s. “I had actually just fallen asleep, and Ben had said he’d gone to get something from the car after he kissed me goodnight,” remembers Jemma. “Then he was beside the bed talking to me. He asked me to roll over and face him, and I think I said something like, “Shhhh, but I’m sleeping!” He laughed, but told me to open my eyes. I rolled over, ready to ask him what was so important that he was waking me up, but didn’t get to. He was down on one knee beside the bed, with a beautiful ring in his hand. I was so surprised I was speechless! He still says it’s the only time he’s seen me really speechless in our whole relationship! He had to ask me for my answer..I said yes.”

Of what the couple love about each other, Ben says, “I love how smart and clever she is, but also the secret nerdy side that’s just under the surface. I love her love of life, adventures and travelling the world. Most of all I love her incredible smile, and the way her whole face lights up when she laughs. She’s just the most beautiful kind of person.” And Jemma gushes, “I love that every day is made that much better because he’s in it. I love that he is genuinely the most kind and loveable person. I love his laugh and the way he laughs with his whole body. I love his goofy smile when he’s nervous, and when he’s happy. I love that he loves my quirks. He’s my best friend, in every way.”