NMJ Lovers | Mini & Harrison

There is nothing more beautiful than two strangers who are brought together by fate. For Mini and Harrison, this is how their love story began - meeting on the other side of the world and later connecting the dots when they matched on a dating app a few years later. Their connection was instant and their shared desires for adventure solidified their love for each other even further. In celebration of our ceremonial collection, The Wedding Collective, and Mini’s admiration for NMJ, we were delighted to create a special heirloom for Mini to wear on her big day. In this beautiful interview, Mini and Harrison share their love story, proposal and what they know about love. We hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did.

 

Can you tell us a little bit about your love story? Where did it all begin?

We’d describe ourselves as the modern day love story. We originally met via a dating app 8 years ago, not expecting anything to come of it. After our first date, we both knew this was something special and have been inseparable ever since. We also discovered that we had previously met in passing on a Top Deck tour in Europe and that we had many family connections – It’s crazy that fate had brought us together this way.

 

How would you describe your relationship?

Our relationship compliments one another perfectly. We met when we were young, have grown together, helped each other through tough times and have always pushed one another to be the better version of ourselves. We share the same desires, accept our imperfections and more than anything crave each other’s company. We love to laugh, share a passion for food, wine and travel, and are truly each other’s best friend.

At what moment did you realise that Mini was the woman you wanted to spend the rest of your life with?

When I first met Mini, there was always a strong physical attraction, and early on in our relationship I discovered that we shared so many common interests and that our future desires and plans aligned. At this point, I was sure this was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. This feeling over time has been further solidified. We were both fortunate enough to backpack around the world, and the fact we survived this experience further reinforced my feelings towards her. Over time, we have grown together, and been through so many positive and negative experiences, that I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone else. 

 

Can you share a little more about Harrison’s proposal?

We woke up early one Sunday morning to find that what was meant to be torrential rain was a beautiful sunny day. To make the most of the weather Harrison packed up for a picnic and we drove to North Head which is where we had our first date. Shortly after we sat down Harrison proposed which explained why he was being so quiet all morning. We cried (I cried), drank Champagne, called loved ones and sat for hours looking at the ocean. We were lucky enough to see a pod of dolphins swimming by not long after - it was a beautiful moment that I’ll never forget.

 

At NMJ, we believe designing a forever piece for your partner means conceptualising a design reflective of your love story and the person receiving it. How did you approach design and what role did NMJ play in bringing this to life?

I knew Mini loved NMJ, so had been gathering ideas on what she liked for quite a while. I always liked the idea of designing a piece yourself, as I felt it held greater sentimental value and was more personable, so the idea of NMJ’s bespoke service  really appealed to me. Once initiating the process, NMJ were able to help bring my ideas together into a final piece. There were aspects I wasn’t sure about, which they guided me through, and offered suggestions on ways I could personalise the ring more, which I took up in the form of her birth stone encased under the stone.

Mini, it is so exciting that you have a wedding to plan! How do you envision your special day?

I’m so excited to start planning the wedding and make our dream day come to life. I’m very lucky that Harrison is actually more of a planner than myself, it makes us a perfect team as I come up with the ideas and he puts them into action. We are aiming for a relaxed rustic wedding, nothing too formal. As long as there is great food and wine, live music to dance the night away, all shared with our family and friends - that is what will make it special to us.

 

Jewellery has a special meaning to everyone. It can evoke feelings and memories of loved ones, and it can lift and elevate an overall look with ease. What is your first memory of jewellery and what does jewellery mean to you today?

Mini: My first memory of jewellery would be of my grandmother’s ruby ring. As a young girl, I remember regularly trying this ring on, in awe of how intricate it was. She passed away early 2020, and I was lucky enough to be gifted this ring just before she passed. For me, it’s a constant reminder of her and my childhood memories. This feeling I have can be applied to other pieces of jewellery, in that it reminds me of either a person, a feeling or an event.

Harrison: It’s hard to exactly pinpoint, but I think it would be of my father’s wedding band. As a kid, I was curious of it, thought it was fun to try on, and interested as to why he wore it. Fast forward to now and I’m excited to have my own band, as to me jewellery signifies your commitment and love towards another.

At NMJ, at the heart of everything we do is love. Tough question, but tell us, what do you know about love?

Nothing and everything at the same time. For us, love is forever evolving, and every day is something new. We see love as sharing experiences, helping one another through tough times, accepting and loving each other imperfections, spending quality time together and forever being each other’s best friend. Despite thinking that our love for one another couldn’t become stronger, each day we find something new to love and are excited to spend the rest of our lives seeing how this love will continue to grow.

P/C: Tealily Photography