When Thomas bought an engagement ring for his girlfriend Mel, he anticipated the proposal would take place on their upcoming holiday abroad in Europe.
But COVID-19 had other plans and, after a widespread imposition of restrictions and border closures, the duo’s exciting holiday quickly turned to dust.
Mel – who, at the time, was oblivious to Thomas’ plans for a proposal – says the self-professed “nerds” had planned to trek through the picturesque Scottish Highlands and ride on the steam train that inspired Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Express.
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The couple then anticipated on finishing the day of adventures at the infamous “Loch Ness” lake, where Thomas planned to pop the question.
Looking back on “what should have been,” Mel tells 9Honey, “his whole proposal idea was very on brand for us because we’re kind of geeky couple.”
In the lead up to the pandemic, Mel and Thomas – who had been together for three years – had been speaking about getting married.
“I always used to say to him, my deadline is 40,” Mel jokes. “I just didn’t want to be in my 40s and getting married – I felt like there was a bit of a stigma. And we had been together for three years so I was like ‘that’s kind of a good enough time.'”
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With the seed planted in his head, and after months of conversations, Thomas finally purchased a ring for Mel and made “epic” plans for the proposal.
But while he was still waiting on the ring, COVID hit and, with the trip to Europe cancelled, there was no choice to start getting creative with different proposal ideas.
“We live in Melbourne and at the peak of COVID we didn’t know when the restrictions were going to be lifted,” Mel says. “He thought to propose in the backyard but then he thought ‘that’s not really that exciting’… He wanted a place where we could come back to in the future, a special place.”
As weeks went by, Thomas waited until the metro and regional border restrictions eased and then promptly booked a romantic trip to the countryside.
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“I’ve booked a weekend away to Phillip Island, and planned to propose on a walk along the beach at a really picturesque area. What could possibly go wrong?”
However, life had other plans for the couple and Mel laughs as she recalls, “the trip ended up being a comedy of errors.”
“We drove about two hours from our place to Phillip Island and I got a little bit carsick so I wanted to have a lie down before any beach stroll,” Mel says. “So we checked into the room and I was like ‘can I just lie here for a bit’ but he was really keen to get moving, and I just was not in the mood.”
As it started to get dark outside, Thomas eventually managed to persuade Mel to go for a walk on the beach, but the obstacles didn’t stop there.
“When we went to the beach there were all these drunk teens and we realized it was schoolies weekend,” Mel recalls. “We were just walking around and we were getting pranked by all these teens who were trying to tick things off their bucket list… One guy even went asking for my number.”
In a panic, Thomas tried to find a more secluded beach, but the only one he could find nearby on Google Maps was under maintenance and didn’t have lighting.
“The vibe at the time was more befitting of a horror movie than a rom-com,” Mel jokes. “So I have decided to wait until the morning.”
The next morning, the sun had come out and Thomas took Mel for a coastal walk at Cape Woolami, when he was finally able to get down on one knee to propose to her.
“It was no Nessie or Harry Potter, but the proposal was still just as magical,” Mel says.
In February this year the couple tied the knot, in a “special” ceremony surrounded by their family and friends.
“It was special for a lot of reasons. Due to COVID, we hadn’t had a chance to see all of our friends and family for a very long time, and aside from obviously celebrating us and our relationship, it was a chance to come together with our favorite people.”
Despite all the obstacles they faced in the lead up, Mel couldn’t be happier with he outcome and wouldn’t change anything for the world.
“I can’t think of my life being without him. Especially going through the pandemic as well, it really tested how much we wanted to be with each other and just highlighted the support that we gave each other through the ups and downs.”
A huge thank you to online wedding directory and planning service Easy Weddings for their assistance with this story.
For more moments from Honey’s series ‘The Moment I Said Yes’, click here.
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