Every story is a unique representation of love – the meeting, the maturity of the relationship and the journey towards marriage. Two individuals coming together to build a life as one. Despite the hurdles and hiccups along the way, this is their happily ever after. Meet some newly engaged couples, basking in a state of romantic bliss. These loved up pairs have been kind enough to share their proposal stories with 77 World.
And, what better a day than Valentine’s to launch our new column!
Today, we meet London-based couple Sahar Malekzandi and Maximilian Peters who are all set to tie the knot this July.
“A thousand times yes!” Maximilian surprised Sahar with a proposal on a bridge in Venice
The first meeting: Sahar and Max met over two years ago, on the very first day Sahar arrived in London from New York. “Sahar was walking across the street to the office pub and I was there with a few of my friends. We immediately set eyes on each other and started talking,” shares Max, a software engineer who hails from Germany.
As Sahar, a technical recruitment manager, was new to London, Max introduced her to his group of friends at work and she quickly became part of the after-hours hangout group. “Over the next few months we spent a lot of time together as friends. We always gravitated towards each other, shared the same sense of humour, and could talk for hours about travelling, going on adventures and our perspectives on life,” she says.
She’s the one: “One night after our company’s annual summer party we stayed up until sunrise talking, laughing, wandering the streets and watching episodes of our favourite TV show,” Sahar recalls. The next day Max hopped on a flight to the US and Sahar set off on a series of travels across Europe. Over the next three weeks, they talked every single day sharing stories and snippets of their adventures. “During that time we got to know each other very well and when we got back everything else came together and we were inseparable,” Sahar gushes. Two months later, they professed their love to one another atop a waterfall in Austria. A month after that the couple moved in together and a year later were engaged.
The couple basking in post-engagement bliss in Venice
The proposal: The pair went on a trip to Venice for Carnivale in February last year. Max had instructed Sahar to be dressed and ready by 8am for a special event the next morning. “I love surprising her with random adventures, so she wasn’t sure what to expect. We were running through the early morning streets of Venice – seemingly late for our appointment – and we stopped on a bridge to look around. The city was empty, and it was so beautiful. I got down on one knee (terrified of dropping the ring into the canal!) and asked if she would spend the rest of her life with me. She was so overjoyed with happiness that she got down on her knees too, hugged me and in tears said, ‘A thousand times yes!’”
Max hired a photographer to capture the proposal from the adjacent bridge and to take them on a post engagement shoot throughout Venice. They spent the rest of the morning enjoying brunch at the beautiful Cafe Florian in San Marco square and looked through the book Max had created for Sahar, which detailed all the conversations with her friends and family, the ring designs, photos of the couple, and all the details he knew she’d be asking about.
The bespoke 77 Diamonds ring Max designed for Sahar with heart-shaped detail on the side profile
The ring: Max spent months drawing and designing different versions of the ideal ring he envisioned for Sahar. “I wanted to create something that was reflective of her style and add a few personal touches. I chose a perfectly square cushion cut diamond, set in a pave yellow gold band with a wrapped pointed prong setting. The bezel is shaped discreetly in a heart, lined with hand-cut milgrain (thanks to the amazing team at 77 Diamonds for adding that very difficult fine detail),” he explains. “Sahar was completely over the moon when she saw the ring. She was stunned at how beautiful the detail was, especially the heart-shaped bezel and said it was more than what she could have imagined designing for herself.”
The wedding: The couple will tie the knot in Ravello, Italy this July. The wedding will be held at Villa Cimbrone, an 11th century villa nestled in historic gardens that hang over the mountains above the Amalfi Coast. The venue is covered in flowers and stone statues with incredible panoramic views overlooking the sea, share the pair.
All the best Sahar and Max, we wish you a lifetime of happiness!
To share your proposal story with 77 World, email priya.gill@77diamonds.com