Image via Zee and Cee Studio 

The day I met Blake is a bit of an odd story and if you had told me then that he was the man I’d marry, I never would have believed you. We were at a mutual friends Christmas party, I was an awkward sixteen-year-old and he an overly confident seventeen-year-old. Our first conversation was over our dislike of prawns which was followed by him going through with a dare to put lemon in his eyes! Needless to say, I left thinking he was a pretty unusual guy.

Fast forward three years and by that time we had been best friends and then at some point, lost touch. But in 2014 our paths crossed again and here we are today, engaged and preparing for our wedding in March 2019.

Blake proposed in December 2017 with what I think was a pretty spectacular proposal, though I am a little biased!

Images via Zee and Cee Studio

I noticed him behaving strangely the night before, but I blew it off, trying not to get excited by putting ideas in my head. That morning he got up at around 6am and left a note on my bedside table. I heard him get up, but I forced myself to wait an hour or so before reading the note, it was the longest hour of my life!

When I finally opened the note, it read:

“Follow these steps:

  1. Put on your best dress
  2. Do your hair and makeup
  3. Bring your camera
  4. *Important* Get your nails done

I’ll be waiting for you x”

I could feel the butterflies in my stomach already! I quickly called my mum telling her about the note. Little did I know she was in on the plan the whole time.

She picked me up and we got our nails done together – she could tell I was nervous but was acting like she had no idea. She seemed to rush the manicure, whilst I was in a panic and wandered off to buy some water and go on a quick bathroom break.

When we finally got in the car to leave she handed me a note with a riddle and would only repeat a line from one of Blake and I’s favourite songs.

Image via Bec Lawrence

After struggling to solve the first riddle I ended up at the café where Blake and I had our first date. My brother was waiting inside and handed me a similar note to what my mum gave me, this one with a different riddle and him reciting the next lyric of the song.

I’m notorious for getting car sick and the heat and my nerves were not on my side. Luckily mum made a pit stop and we got some food before heading off to the next destination. This time it was at a restaurant on the opposite side of town, where we go for our anniversary every year. My dad was waiting for me outside the restaurant and handed me another note with a new and final riddle. He then continued the lyrics to our song.

The final destination was the Arboretum, a beautiful spot overlooking all of Canberra. My mum swiftly dropped me off, shouting the final lyrics from her car, leaving me to find Blake.

There he was at the top of a small hill, a private space where there weren’t many people around. I could see he was dressed up with a bow tie and a picnic set up by his side. I’m not sure who was more nervous, he or I, but walking over to him seemed like forever and I could feel the sweat dripping off my forehead from the sudden heatwave of almost 35 degrees!

When I finally reached Blake, he grabbed my hands and finished the verse from the song,

“Will you be there under the same sun?”

He then gave the most beautiful speech though I was so nervous I can’t recall a single thing he said and he never wrote it down! He went down on one knee and asked, ‘Will you marry me?’ and all I could think to say was ‘it’s about time!’

Image via Bec Lawrence

When the formalities were out of the way, Blake told me he had been waiting up there for hours but my detour to get water, lunch and a quick bathroom break had taken more time than he expected.

We opened a bottle of champagne and to my delight the reason Blake had woken up so early, was so he could line up to buy my favourite doughnuts – which of course were part of our picnic. Whilst we didn’t have a photographer on the day, we did take a few snaps on my camera and then later organised for an engagement shoot.

Image via Zee and Cee Studio 

I feel so special to have had such a unique and personal treasure hunt proposal that involved my family. I don’t know how they managed to keep it a secret but with their blessing Blake managed to pull off a pretty amazing proposal that I will never forget.