December 20, 2023

Hiroka & Daniel | A downpour of love

As aficionados of romance and captivating moments, we've had the privilege of observing countless exquisite love narratives. Yet, on occasion, a couple graces our path whose affection and connection exude an extraordinary allure, leaving an everlasting impact on all they encounter. It was a privilege to commemorate the engagement of Hiroka and Daniel, and here, we present a delightful recount of their enchanting love tale and proposal:

How did you both meet, what defining moments in your relationship made you realise that they were the one?

Daniel: We were both alumni of the same Youth Development Program run by the Japanese Cabinet Office called Ship The World Youth. Hiroka was visiting Melbourne for work and posted to the FB Alumni Group to see if anyone was in Melbourne - and as it happened - I was! We started dating and then made the move over to Adelaide together as I was starting an English Language School here.

What unique traits do you appreciate most in each other?
Daniel: I remember about a month and a half after meeting her, I was having lunch with a big group of old friends and I was telling them all about Hiroka. I got to the end of it and said "I still can't figure out what's wrong with her!" Just as I said it though, I realised that I didn't need to keep looking for drawbacks, she is perfect as she is!

We've heard it in person but tell us again about your incredible proposal and the surprise that you orchestrated!

Daniel: While Hiroka was back in Japan for about a month, I had time to stake out the best restaurant, wine tasting and proposal spot in the Barossa Valley. I went back and forth a lot trying to decide the best type of ring and it took a number of visits to get it right. Then when I brought Hiroka in to see the rings, Jessica from The Classic Jewellers and I convinced her that it would take more than 3 months to get the ring ready. The ring was ready much faster than that, and when I did propose, she was really surprised by the timing, even though she knew it was coming at some stage.

It was an incredible day, because there was a thunderstorm that actually knocked out the power in the Wine Tasting place we had booked, and it rained so heavily I wasn't even sure if I'd be able to propose. It cleared up just in time. We found out later that in Indian culture it's very good luck for there to be rain during the proposal and on the day. Neither of us are Indian, but we are grateful for the good luck.

We love how much thought and effort you went into choosing Hiroka's gorgeous engagement ring, tell us about your experience with The Classic Jewellers and any tips you have for couples searching for their engagement rings?

Daniel: I recommend taking your time in understanding the different stone cuts and gradings. I'm used to sizing things up quickly and making a decision, but it's not something you get a second chance at, so it's better to take your time. Thinking about the size/shape of your girlfriend's finger is important. We went with an oval cut as it best compliments Hiroka's finger profile. Getting advice from a few trusted friends as well certainly helps, because there are a lot of options and be able to cross out concepts and narrow down makes it less overwhelming.