NMJ Lovers
NMJ Lovers | Eli & Nadia
Introducing our latest feature couple Eli & Nadia, residing in Sydney - Australia. Eli came to us in mid 2018 looking to create a bespoke engagement ring for Nadia and worked closely with our bespoke jeweller Em to create the most beautiful Diamond Cluster Ring. We caught up with the newlyweds to look back at the proposal & the process of handcrafting the perfect rings.
How did you both meet?
We met at school when we were 10, our friendship grew over the years, even to the point where we both had that high school crush but were too scared to say anything so neither of us knew. Our relationship rekindled after school and before we knew it we had fallen in love, and the rest is history.
Share your engagement story with us...
Eli had arranged a decoy plan, that we, as well as a some of our friends were asked to attend a "games night" at a location that didn't exist towards the Royal National Park. Eli told Nadia that he would be running late and would drive down after work with his best mate Clay, so Nadia hitched a ride with Clay's wife Britt.
Eli devised a plan to make sure that I was dressed up as there would be a photographer waiting. He asked Britt to pretend she needed her hair cut and wanted Nadia to go with her, while Nadia was there Britt got their friend to just quickly straighten Nads' hair. Nadia talked the entire drive and didn't even notice they were driving in the Royal National Park until she got out and saw a candle in the distance. She walked through 70 meters of a candlelit forest path towards the sound of an acoustic version of "Can't help falling in love with you" in the distance. She arrived to a little cove of fairy lights, candles, white roses and a hand built vine and flower arbour with Eli standing in front. There was tears, laughter and the big question asked.
What does marriage mean to you?
As Christians, marriage to us means becoming one and making commitment in front of God and all our loved ones. It means promising on an eternity of support, adventures, love and joy together.
What drew you to Natalie Marie for the design of your engagement piece?
I had actually found myself following Natalie Marie on Instagram already, prior to looking for an engagement ring, I was drawn to the beautiful aesthetic of the whole page in general and was in love with pretty much every bespoke piece that was posted. So when I started looking, they were a given. I wanted Nadia's ring to be a perfect combination of traditional and contemporary and I knew they would be able to bring the goods - and they did!
Tell us about the details of your ring, what was the process like for you? What are your favourite aspects of the piece?
It was important to me for the piece to be timeless and a combination of traditional and contemporary. In the end, the team achieved exactly that by combining classic elements like a petite white gold band, an emerald cut diamond and contemporary elements like the low setting of the diamond and an asymmetrical design with two smaller diamonds on one side and one on the other side. The asymmetrical element being my favourite aspect for sure.
Eli and Nadine were married a few weeks ago in a Tuscan style marquee wedding on Nadia's Nonno's farm. "A night of twinkling lights, gelato and dancing."
Photography: Matt Godkin