Just before their planned ‘trip of a lifetime’ to the US, Britt was diagnosed with cervical cancer – it meant that this meaningful New York City engagement nearly didn’t happen.
Words by Brittany
Myself, Britt, is 25 years old & Court is 27, I was born and raised in New Zealand. I moved to Melbourne to pursue my soccer career. I did it for so many years until I recently took a year off to coach and spend time being a 25-year-old. Court is an amazing mum to a 5-year-old girl and works as a full-time nurse. We are both passionate about sports and have been “the coaching couple” of soccer for three years. We enjoy going out with our close friends. It might be to see a live band, having a few cold ones, and often enjoying family trips away.
It’s been three and a half years of dating, and we met through mutual friends. The first time meeting each other was at a little cafe in Chadstone. We had both just finished work and decided on a last-minute coffee date. We both looked our worst, but we feel like you truly see the person when they are unplanned dates. I knew from that day that I would fall in love with Court.
I was the one that proposed to my now beautiful fiancé. Before the proposal, I had spoken with my family first, all and Courts family and our closest friends for what you could say as ‘an approval’. We had an upcoming trip of a lifetime to America, the Caribbeans, and the Bahamas and knew this would be the perfect opportunity. I had a New York City engagement on my mind.
Leading up to the proposal was stressful, to say the least. Six weeks before take-off, we received some unfortunate news that Court had been diagnosed with cervical cancer. She required immediate surgery that required a six-week recovery. This almost meant canceling our holiday.
I did some research on places in Central Park. Instantly I fell in love with the rowboats on the lake- without realizing rowing is hard work. After a couple of crashes, we finally reached the destination in the middle of the lake where I proposed. I had brought a Swarovski ring to propose with. Afraid that Court would lose it as we were swimming a lot and wouldn’t wear it in the water! The day we flew in, we headed to Michael Hill and purchased our engagement rings.
We don’t know much about marriage as of yet. Still, we know that if you can fly halfway around the world for three weeks with someone you can see yourself being with for the rest of your life, then there is nothing to change and enjoy every day with that person as you learn new chapters and boundaries. We are enjoying being engaged but looking forward to being married.
If you find someone, and it’s the right one, hold on to that person, life is a roller coaster, and it’s not meant to be easy. It’s going to have mountains, we say climb them and climb them together, also take risks in life. Court and I never thought we would be able to travel, until one day we went into the travel expo and walked out with a holiday booked. It was the best thing we have done as a couple we have learned new things we thought we already knew about each other. So, risk it and do the things you dream of doing because life is meant to create memories.
Photographer Morgan Lee Photography
