Client Engagement Story

It was a very special week thanks to my wonderful “fiancé !” Jay and I had flown to England for his best friend’s wedding (little did I know what else was in store for me.) We were staying in his hometown of Arundel with his family. If any of you are familiar with England, the town of Arundel is very picturesque. It is a market town and civil parish in the South Downs of West Sussex in the south of England. It lies 49 miles southwest of London. Arundel is home to Arundel Cathedral and the most notably Arundel Castle (where the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk still reside). Part of the castle and the grounds are open to public and I must say it is one of my favorite attractions whenever I am there to visit. On the afternoon of 1 November 2010, Jay and I decided to take a walk into Arundel for an afternoon tea and some shopping. We took a stroll through the town and Jay wanted to stop at St Nicholas church (this is where his Mum and stepdad had their wedding blessing). It is a gorgeous church that dates back to the early 1300’s. To this day, the church is still divided into two parts: Church of England and Catholic. I did think it was a bit odd that he wanted to go there since we had seen it before on previous trips. However, I knew that his Mum and stepfather had their wedding blessing there so he wanted to go back and visit. Jay had other plans, though! We walked up the steep hill to the church and as we approached the entrance of the church, I was so mesmerized by the beauty and history of the building.

We walked inside and looked around. The architecture and stained glass windows were breathtaking. It was a very serene and beautiful place. As we walked outside, I was admiring the intricate stonework and taking pictures. Just as we entered through the archway, he turned around and said to me “there are two reasons why I brought you here. One is that my mum and stepdad were married here so it is a very special place and two is that I wanted to give you this….and he pulled out a black box with silver bow. Once I noticed the embossed “Claudia Endler” signature my heart started to go pitter-patter. Before I could even utter a word, he was on bended knee asking me to be his wife. At that point, it all felt so surreal. All I could think was, “was this really happening.”

The ring was more than I had ever hoped for. The design of the ring symbolizes my life and Jay’s life combined as one-. The diamond is the strength that holds us together. He also had a small ruby (his birthstone) embedded on the inside of the band. This was to symbolize his heart was always with me. This was so touching and really special to me. He had worked with Claudia Endler, who is a leading contemporary jewelry designer we had met a few years ago at an art exhibit in LA. She uses elements from graphic design, art, and architecture, to create one of a kind pieces to reflect a client’s individuality. I knew when I saw her work; I had wanted her to design my engagement ring. I thought it would be amazing if Jay designed it with her.

This whole experience felt like something you only read in fairy tale book. Every young girl dreams about the day her Prince Charming gets down on bended knee to ask for her hand in marriage. I remember the feeling when I looked at him and was amazed I had found the someone special. It worked out perfect that Jay’s Mum and stepfather were with us. They took pictures and shared the special moment with us. Then we went back to Jay’s family home and called our family and friends to spread the happy news — everyone was thrilled for us. It was the most romantic, special day of my life! We had a celebration dinner later that evening with Jay’s family and close friends. We got so caught up in the moment earlier that day that I realized I had forgot to say “Yes!” Later that night, I told him “I forgot to tell you yes — Yes, I will be your wife! I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you.”