As devoted admirers of love and the stories that blossom from it, we are endlessly inspired by the unique paths that bring two hearts together. There’s something truly magical about the moment when strangers become soulmates, when a fleeting glance becomes a forever bond. It’s often in the smallest moments, the simplest gestures, that the grandest love stories take root. We had the absolute joy of helping Luke design the perfect engagement ring for Annalise, and today, we’re honored to share their beautiful journey, a story of serendipitous meetings, heartfelt laughter, and a proposal straight out of a dream.

How did you and your partner meet? What defining moments in your relationship made you realise that they were the one? We’d love to hear both sides of the story!

Annalise:
After both attending the same 21st in Forestville, we met on the dance floor of a local bar and live music venue, Jive. Neither of us could believe we missed each other at the party, but on the dance floor, we couldn't look away.

It's incredibly hard to define moments that made me realise Luke is my person. It's more like realising I never considered the future without him. But I have to say, seeing him dance is one of my happiest things—his zest for life warms my heart every time!

Luke:
Annalise and I first met at a nightclub in Adelaide. Our eyes locked across the packed dance floor, and she took my breath away. Annalise was by far the prettiest of her group in my eyes. For some reason, she decided to notice me as well.

After an hour of making eyes at each other, I worked up the courage to make my bold first move. Our hands touched the dance floor, and our fingers intertwined. We both looked into each other’s eyes and smiled.

There was a moment early in our relationship when I knew I had met the right person. I was worrying about various things when I went to visit Annalise. She looked at me with the warmest smile, and all my worry and doubt vanished from my body. At that time, I knew everything was right.

What traits do you both appreciate most in each other?

Annalise:
I love how kind and thoughtful Luke is, but I also love how he'll embrace the silliness in life with me. From stocking the fridge with my favourite rice pudding when I'm down to pretending to be dinosaurs while playing with our dog, Luke is always reminding me how lucky I am.

Luke:
I love how kind Annalise is. She has genuine care for her friends and the people around her. She will work her hardest just so that others will not have to suffer a small inconvenience.

We've heard all about it in-store, but tell us again about your romantic proposal that you so thoughtfully planned!

Annalise:
I was in the dark about the actual proposal, but I had my suspicions about the week and made sure to wear something nice on our night out.

Luke:
We organised to have dinner at a restaurant by the beach and then to go to a movie afterwards. I was hoping to squeeze in some time for a walk on the beach or to find some other time to ask the question. But with the rush to get to dinner after work and then to get to the movie, there was no right time to propose.

I was feeling a bit crestfallen as we got home and thought that I might need to plan a separate occasion.

We reached the door when Annalise asked if she could have the keys, as she had left hers inside. There was a sudden moment of clarity for me—the stars had aligned. I responded to Annalise, “Sure, let me just find them,” and pretended to look for my keys in my jacket.

I reached into my jacket, pulled out the ring, and then got down on one knee. “Will you marry me?” I asked Annalise. She said yes!

We love how much thought and effort you went into designing your gorgeous engagement ring. Tell us about your experience with The Classic Jewellers and any tips you have for couples searching for their engagement rings.

Luke:
I had an amazing experience organising our engagement ring with The Classic Jewellers. I had done some research before and came into the store with a few designs.

The Classic Jewellers helped me to combine design aspects, and one of the jewellers came out to sketch a rough draft for the ring on the spot. They then showed me gem options for the sapphire centrepiece, where I was able to choose exactly what I wanted from all the different shades and sizes. We were also given a CAD projection for the ring by The Classic Jewellers—I was so happy with all the effort to make sure we got the perfect ring for us!

Some advice I would give to others looking for a ring is to check out the Instagram and blog posts of the jeweller you are considering. These posts can showcase the expertise of the jeweller, and you can also see if the jeweller has experience with designs similar to what you want.

Annalise:
Pinterest definitely helped—I had an idea of what I would like, so I gathered a bunch of pictures and shared them with Luke. I am so impressed with what he came up with and love looking at the design every day.

What are you both looking forward to in your new chapter together?

Annalise:
Sharing our special moment with our friends and family—I can't wait for this, especially hitting the dance floor. But I am also looking forward to sharing our surname and starting our life as the Hogan-Cappers.

Luke:
I’m excited for the steps in our relationship—finding a house to make into a home, and starting a family.