Clear Cut Couples: Diana and Justin
Diana and Justin met online before dating apps were a normal thing. (Think pre-Tinder and Blackberry Messenger era!!) They talked for a few months before meeting up because they were both a little skeptical about this whole new world of online dating. LOL!
Diana had been given two Blake Sheldon tickets through work and she asked Justin if he'd want to go, but when he told her it was the same day as his birthday... she wasn't optimistic that he would want to spend it on a first date. To her surprise, he did! Diana’s thoughts were initially "Wow this guy is really sweet to cancel his plans for me." That quickly led to "Hmmm I wonder if he had any plans to begin with, is he a creeper?!" Turns out he was sweet… and the one!
They had a blast dancing and shouting words to songs they didn't know. Not much has changed since then! Diana said that the question of how long they’ve been together is complicated. A friend of hers put it nicely: While it's true that they were "off and on" for a while, what feels truer is that they've been “fighting for their own hearts desires" for 8 years. They both pursued personal and professional growth as individuals for most of that time, which makes their soon-to-be-union even more special.
They made it through 2+ years, 5,000 miles apart. Justin was working in SF Bay Area and Diana was in London. The wonderful part about Diana’s two years in London was all of the European travel they were able to do together. They especially fell in love with Italy (of course!), Norway, Israel and Spain. Added bonus, they still have airline miles and companion passes to put to use. That means many more trips and beautiful memories to come for the two of them! They recently bought a house on the water, so they’ve happily traded trips to the airport for trips to Home Depot and Restoration Hardware. Justin now jokes that his "big boat money" is docked on Diana’s finger. LOL!
They took a quick trip to Maui to have a few days break from their house renovations. They rented an Airbnb camper van to easily explore the island, wake up on turtle covered beaches and see all the sunsets! Mid-trip Justin told her that they were going to a sunset drum circle on Baldwin Beach in Paia. Justin is not much of a planner, so she thought something was up! The woman that they rented the camper from fooled her, so Diana was unsuspecting. By this time, Diana was hoping he would take advantage of their beautiful Maui adventure to pop the question! She was a little anxious, but wasn't really tipped off until they were at the beach in their van and Justin changed into a new shirt. She thought, "who wears such a nice shirt to a drum circle... and does that mean I should put a bra on?"
While they were walking up and down the beach searching for the (imaginary) drum circle, Justin stepped on a thorny branch that got stuck in his sandal. Diana bent down to help him get it out, which ended up being the perfect time for him to slide the ring out of his backpack. Diana stood up and while Justin was getting on one knee, he made a joke about that thorn being gone, but getting another thorn to be stuck in his side forever (LOL!). Diana immediately cast into a laughing/crying spell for the rest of the proposal. She didn't realize until after that he had hired a photographer to capture the whole thing. It was the most perfect proposal -- once again, confirming that indeed, he is still so, so sweet.
Diana’s reaction to the ring is best pictured with her “OMG face” while she’s looking at her ring. She is in love with her sparkly old mine cut with two pear sides. It is the perfect mix of old and new. And the low profile setting is everything!
They’re thinking of having a destination wedding because of their love for travel, but they haven't decided on the location quite yet. They’re always leaning towards beaches and boats -- that's a pretty good indication of their vibe. Congrats Diana and Justin!! We are SO happy for you!!
Ready to start designing your dream engagement ring with us? Book a call here
Want to bling it on this season? Shop our curated collection made in NYC with natural diamonds here