Pamela had a dream for her and Michael’s engagement photos – to have them done on New Years Eve. And in the name of romance, Michael made it happen! Inviting Light Collections to capture their story, these two made the most of that stunning golden Queensland light in the very best way possible!

And because romance doesn’t seem to end for this two (in fact it seems their norm!) the way they met? On top of a beautiful mountain, but of course! Recalls Pamela “We met in France in 2018, on a family trip that each one made separately, we met on the PIC DU JER mountain together in the Lourdes. (June 2018). Michael “accidentally” bumped me on the way down the mountain to get my attention. And at the bottom of the mountain, he asked me for directions back into the centre of the town (even though he knew exactly how to get there).

We walked back to the centre of town together taking photos of each other in front of different monuments and nice cars, using Google translate to communicate. When we said goodbye, we got each other’s details and kept in touch through the next 6 months. We ultimately became really good friends and then started to fall in love (Feb 2019). About a year from the day we met, Michael flew to Spain to meet me again (June 2019) and after a few weeks of travelling around Spain together, Michael gave me a promise ring and ‘asked me out’, before returning to Australia for study commitments. We spent another 6 months apart, until Michael planned a 6-week holiday in Australia for me, (Dec 2019-Jan 2020). The trip involved flying to Cairns and taking a road trip down the East Coast, visiting Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. Staying with family along the way. We then went back up north for a cruise to the Whitsundays. I then had to return to Spain for study commitments.

When I got back to Spain, I called Michael every night crying about how hard it was to leave each other each time. Michael decided to take up extra work delivering Uber Eats, so he could get enough money and fly back to Spain and surprise me for Valentine’s Day just before he had to start his studies again. We had an amazing time together, and then when Michael was due to return to Australia at the end of February, the first cases of Covid came. We didn’t know what it meant at the time. Michael returned to Australia and that started the hardest part of our relationship. Every day we checked the news to see when the borders would open, never knowing if it would be a few months, or a few years, or even a decade that we would have to wait. I just focused on my studies, and Michael started a new job as a support worker. Right now, those two tough years just mesh together – feelings and time stood still for both of us.

Then at the end of 2021 and the start of 2022 the borders opened, finally! We were reunited when I came to Australia for 3 months from March to June. Then my visa ended and we both flew back to Spain. Michael decided to give up his life in Australia and move to Spain for good because we agreed that we never wanted to be separated again. We spent 3 months in Spain and Italy trying to apply for citizenship, however, due to Europeans not working during July and August, we were not able to get any paperwork done and sadly Michael had to leave Europe once his tourist visa was finished. So again, we were separated because we couldn’t afford 2 plane tickets back to Australia! (Sept 2022). Michael was planning to jump back into his support work back in Aus, and in every spare hour, he was delivering Uber Eats to get every cent possible to get enough money to bring me to Australia.”

Despite grand plans for more adventures, Michael proposed at the most unexpected of times, Pamela sharing “Michael had planned to propose to me in Lourdes on the mountaintop where we met. But because his visa finished, that plan didn’t go ahead. On the last day of being in Spain with me, Michael was packing away the ring he had bought, and I was there helping out with his things. It was such a sad time for both of us and something just came over Michael and he asked me to marry him then and there on one knee – and so we packed our suitcases!

During our time together, the acts that Michael took led me to this great decision of my life, he showed me loyalty and included me in his plans for the future. We were separated for a long time by “distance”, it was the most difficult and painful when two people love each other. We overcame many obstacles together and we wanted to take this big step because we want to be together as far as God allows us to go. We have many plans for the future and this is our big step.

Since the engagement, we had been busy working and had not had the time or money to get any engagement photos done. It was getting to the end of the year and I said to Michael that I wanted to get the photos done this year since it was the year we got engaged. So we were then incredibly lucky to get in contact with Jessica at Light Collections and she made it the most amazing experience.”

On what they love about one another? From Pamela “His patience, emotional maturity, loyalty, unconditionally.” And Michael “Her stunning looks (she is without a doubt the most beautiful girl in the world), amazing heart and consistent love and care that never ends.”