Catherine and Ariel, who will tie the knot at the Prospect Park Boathouse in Brooklyn this September, have a long history. Following each other from state to state and country to country, it all started with a “Hey do you want to get breakfast?” after the professor didn’t show up to the very first class of their freshman year of college. Although currently living in Brooklyn, Catherine and Ariel were given the amazing opportunity to temporarily relocate for work in 2015. After embarking on a once in a lifetime adventure and moving to London together, Catherine was eager to propose. Her father had designed her mother’s engagement ring and she knew she wanted to keep the tradition going.
After finding the amazing, custom jewelry makers at Variance Objects, who describe their pieces as ‘rough beauty’, Catherine began the months-long process of designing two engagement rings, from the cut of the stones to the shape of the bands. With a trip to Venice coming up quickly and her heart set on proposing in one of the world’s most beautiful cities, Catherine had the rings express shipped from California to London. And then back again. She had measured incorrectly and the rings were too big.
Luckily, the wonderful folks at Variance resized the rings and with less than a day before they left for Venice, Catherine had them back in her hands. In the early evening of their first day in Venice, after nervously searching for the perfect, secluded spot to propose, Catherine found it. At the end of a canal, overlooking the open water, tucked away from the narrow, crowded streets, she knew this was it. Later, after dinner, just as the sun was setting, they made their way back to that spot and, legs dangling over the sea wall, Catherine pulled out the ring. Upon seeing the ring box, Ariel’s first words were “Oh, no, what’s happening!?”, which Catherine will never let her forget. But after a teary proposal, Ariel said “Yes”.
Catherine and Ariel are currently having a great time planning their wedding and are excited to see what adventures the future holds.
Photography: Love in Theory, an Equally Wed Platinum Vendor
