Destination Proposals That Stole Our Heart
From freezing fjords in Norway to the eternal romance of Paris, three couples share the story behind their stunning proposals and the natural diamond engagement ring of their dreams.
They say diamonds are forever. And nothing holds true more than the promise of eternal love—so what better than a natural diamond, one of the rarest, most precious gems on earth, to symbolise the union of two individuals? Natural diamonds are coveted for their shine, sparkle and longevity, and have always been considered the perfect sentiment for expressing that one-of-a-kind love. We spoke to three couples about their dreamy wedding proposals—from charting their love story, right up to the moment they said ‘yes’, and the special natural diamond that marked the beginning of one of the most momentous journeys of their lives.
A Nordic Adventure
Shaleen Chhapkhanawala and Rishad Khergamwala
You never know when you’re about to bump into the love of your life. For Mumbai-based Shaleen Chhapkhanawala, a content creator who also runs a swimwear label, and Bengaluru-based Rishad Khergamwala who works as a real estate developer, their love story may have unfolded later in life, but the duo’s paths crossed quite serendipitously during their childhood. “Our families have known each other for years through a mutual relative, but it was only much later that we connected at my uncle’s 50th birthday celebration in Phuket, Thailand,” says Chhapkhanawala.
“I was freshly single and he, being the amazing man that he is, we just instantly hit it off,” she shares. “We have a 7-year age gap and it took a couple of years of chatting and getting to know each other better. But when you know, you know, and I think we both realised early on that what we had was special.”
Putting a Ring on It
The proposal was one that completely swept her off her feet. The duo took a holiday to Norway, in hopes of chasing the Northern lights and going on an orca freediving trip, as both are water enthusiasts. Unbeknownst to her, Khergamwala had been planning behind the scenes for nearly 3 months, to pop the question in a tiny, windswept Norwegian town called Skjervøy. It took much planning and involved nearly all small-town residents, whom Khergamwala had been coordinating with on a Facebook group. “For some reason, all my friends kept asking me if I was going to get engaged on this trip, to which I told them not to be ridiculous! We spent a magical six days experiencing the Northern Lights and watching orcas in the ocean, so I didn’t expect anything else on the last day of our trip,” she shares.
Under the ruse of a farewell lunch with their travel group, Khergamwala proposed to Shaleen at the pier with the picture-perfect backdrop of snow-capped mountain ranges and a starlit sky. Dozens of local students formed a candlelit pathway until she reached the end where her beau stood with a dazzling diamond ring in his hand. “There he was, on one knee, with the most beautiful ring. I was so shocked I don’t think I said yes for a whole five minutes. It all felt like a dream,” says Chhapkhanawala.
IT FEATURES A 2.2-CARAT CUSHION-CUT NATURAL DIAMOND IN A WHITE GOLD SETTING WHICH HAS A THIN BAND ENCRUSTED WITH TINY DIAMONDS ON EITHER SIDE. RENU HAS KNOWN ME SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL AND I HAD HINTED THIS TO RISHAD YEARS AGO. I LOVE THAT HE CHOSE TO MAKE MY ENGAGEMENT RING WITH HER. IT WAS CLASSIC AND TIMELESS, JUST THE WAY, I HAD ALWAYS IMAGINED IT WOULD BE.
The ring itself is close to Chhapkhanawala’s heart. It was designed by Renu Oberoi, a luxury jewellery designer based in Mumbai. It features a 2.2-carat cushion-cut natural diamond in a white gold setting which has a thin band encrusted with tiny diamonds on either side. “Renu has known me since I was a little girl and I had hinted this to Rishad years ago. I love that he chose to make my engagement ring with her. It was classic and timeless, just the way I had always imagined it would be,” she shares, adding that Rishad believed there was nothing more symbolic than a natural diamond to exemplify their eternal love
A Cappadocian Fairytale
Nishtha Gandhi and Karan Malik
Delhi-based digital content creator and social media manager, Nishtha Gandhi, always knew what kind of engagement ring she wanted. In fact, she had even created a moodboard for herself, featuring the ring she envisioned on her finger. Having met her beau Karan Malik, a hospitality entrepreneur who runs a luxury catering company and a restaurant in Delhi, through a common friend some years ago, the two took an instant liking to each other. They had even matched on a dating app previously, realising that they hadn’t even exchanged texts at the time. The rest, as they say, is history.
Sealing the Deal
Malik whisked Gandhi away on a holiday to Türkiye for her birthday to plan a surprise romantic proposal. Gandhi got not just one, but two intimate proposals set against the dramatic, otherworldly landscape of Cappadocia, with its enchanting fairy chimneys and rugged mountains.
“Karan chose to loop in my best friend (who knows practically everything about me) to get her insights on how to do it in a way that she would remember forever,” offers Gandhi. After considering many options—including hiring a yacht in Antalya, a proposal on a rooftop bar in Istanbul overlooking the Bosphorus, a hot air balloon overlooking the valleys in Cappadocia—and talking to photographers, restaurant owners and friends who have travelled there before, he finalised an upscale restaurant for the first proposal and later a breakfast table at ROX Cappadocia with a bird’s eye view of the surreal landscape, she shares.
IT’S THE MOST FEMININE AND INTRICATE RING—EXACTLY HOW I HAD ALWAYS ENVISIONED IT TO BE. THE TIMELESS ELEGANCE OF A NATURAL DIAMOND PERFECTLY CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF OUR COMMITMENT, MIRRORING THE EVERLASTING NATURE OF OUR BOND.
Gandhi says that the surprise proposals were everything she could have ever wanted. The first, happened very organically while enjoying a rooftop dinner at one of the best restaurants in Cappadocia, cutting a cake and sipping on glasses of red wine. “One cake had ‘happy birthday’ written on it, while the other said ‘3 years down. Can we make it a lifetime to go?’ Gandhi reveals. But Malik didn’t just stop there.
The next morning, he arranged for a romantic breakfast table at a luxury hotel’s rooftop terrace. At the light of dawn, with hundreds of hot air balloons gently rising in the air and framing the backdrop, he got down on one knee and proposed again.
For Gandhi, the ring was just as she had envisioned. It was an oval cut 2-carat natural diamond ring set on a gold band polished in silver and surrounded by small diamonds on both sides in a metal tray. “The fact that the ring was made exactly like the one on my moodboard and that Karan was considerate enough to loop in my best friend to get all the details about the ring I wanted, and the kind of proposal I desired to have, I couldn’t be happier, she offers. “It’s the most feminine and intricate ring—exactly how I had always envisioned it to be. She believes that just like a diamond, their relationship has withstood the test of time and life’s pressures, emerging even more beautiful and resilient. “The timeless elegance of a natural diamond perfectly captures the essence of our commitment, mirroring the everlasting nature of our bond.”
Paris Mon Amour
Meghna Bajaj and Tanay Bhimrajka
It’s a classic tale of two people meeting when the time is just right. Marketing consultant and public relations professional Meghna Bajaj, met her beau Tanay Bhimrajka, who works in his family’s chemicals business, as part of an arranged match orchestrated by both the families. The two hit it off during the first few meetings, going on several dates in quick succession, as they slowly discovered each other’s quirks and personalities—she, being effervescent and a bundle of energy while he was more calm and reserved. Their polar opposite nature is what drew them to each other and before they knew it, they were talking about tying the knot.
A Parisian Affair
The couple had planned a trip to Paris for Bajaj’s birthday with the idea of combining it with a pre-wedding photoshoot set against some of the city’s most iconic landmarks. “In the lead-up to the wedding, I decided to escape the chaos of wedding planning by embarking on a six-month trip to Milan,” she shares, adding that this resulted in a long-distance relationship. “To bridge the gap, we planned two extended vacations. One in Milan and the other in Paris.”
Bajaj says that while she was drawn to Milan for its unique charm, her profound love for Paris trumped over. “I also wanted Tanay to experience the magic of the city, as he hadn’t been there before.”
The couple hired a local photographer, as they spent a chilly winter morning roaming the streets of Paris to capture picture-perfect romantic shots. The city of lights played muse for the duo, as they shot at the Eiffel Tower and other nooks and corners of the city. Little did Bajaj know that her beau had been planning behind the scenes to sweep her off her feet with a proposal. “There we were, shooting away, and Tanay started chatting with our photographer in French––a language he’s comfortable speaking, while I simply nodded along, not sure what they were discussing. It was when they reached the Pont Alexandre III bridge, spanning the River Seine that Bhimrajka dropped down on one knee and popped the question with a 10-pointer eternity princess cut natural diamond ring.
FROM THE AGE OF 18, MY FATHER HAD THIS BEAUTIFUL TRADITION OF GIFTING ME A PIECE OF JEWELLERY FOR EVERY BIRTHDAY. EACH PIECE HOLDS SIGNIFICANT SENTIMENTAL VALUE, ESPECIALLY MY DIAMOND COLLECTION.
“He was trying to give this heartfelt speech he had prepared, but his fingerswere frozen from the cold!” she shares, adding that the ring slipped from his fingers and rolled onto the road. It turned into a three-person chase—the photographer, Tanay, and me before we finally secured the ring on my finger,” she says with a laugh. “In fact, the proposal caught me off guard. I never thought Tanay had this much romance up his sleeve.”
Given that Bajaj’s family has close ties to the jewellery industry, she had always envisioned what her ring would look like. This long-standing connection instilled in her a deep appreciation for natural diamonds. “From the age of 18, my father had this beautiful tradition of gifting me a piece of jewellery for every birthday. Each piece holds significant sentimental value, especially my diamond collection,” she shares.
Bajaj adds that Tanay also gifted her a beautiful wedding ring, but the proposal ring holds special meaning as a promise band that she wishes to pass down to future generations.
