Lolly & Olly Engagement by Andy McFeate

If one is allowed, I have to confess I am a ‘fan’ of my own love story.  After years single and despising anyone that said to me “when you know you just know!”. I smirk to know that my wise old friends were dare I say it… ( ooh here goes the word I rarely say) “right”!

Girlfriends Cerryn, Emma and I were on a trip around Cambodia. It was the 14th August, 2009 and our last night in the quiet beachside town of Sihanoukville. Sadly Emma was sick in bed, so Cerryn and I decided to head out. Much later that evening at ‘The Dolphin Shack’ I had decided the bar guy was amazing. He was entertaining, friendly and had the cutest English accent. What wasn’t to like!

Lolly & Olly Engagement by Andy McFeate

A few hours on, I made my move, only to quickly realise that he wasn’t the most amazing bartender that was everywhere… he was in fact a twin (correctly speaking a triplet! – the other was still in London). It was at that point I sobered up and saw two men, seemingly identical only 8 metres from one another. Oops! It was at this moment I was told I was talking to Tom… when in fact it was Oliver that I had my eye on. Why had Cerryn and I not noticed there were two? The beer perhaps? Awkward! Needless to say, Tom and I giggled and parted ways and I headed back to the bar. This time… I got the right man, Oliver.

Olly, as I found out he preferred to be called, and I spent the rest of the night together, talking until the sun came up and listening to my music. He wrote my name and the words ‘Bon Iver: Skinny Love’ (It was the song we’d listened to all morning) in his notebook – we hoped Facebook would reconnect us one-day.

Lolly & Olly Engagement by Andy McFeate

Lolly & Olly Engagement by Andy McFeate

Lolly & Olly Engagement by Andy McFeate

Olly and Tom’s story: They had been backpacking for 6 months and they were planning on heading to Australia in November and then onto New Zealand before heading back to London.

I was happily home, I knew in the back of my mind Olly was headed my way. I ‘tracked’ his footsteps on Facebook. Yes ‘tracked’. I know what you are thinking… No no, it’s not ‘stalking’ *wink*. We emailed almost daily, I lived to get to work every day to check my email, a heart pumping rush of excitement I can’t explain.

Olly arrived in Melbourne on the 3rd of January, 2010. He only had three days in Melbourne! We made sure we spent every waking hour together. It was in one word ‘perfect’. We laughed, we smiled, we fought (yes on day three!), we cuddled – he was the puzzle piece I was missing.

Lolly & Olly Engagement by Andy McFeate

Lolly & Olly Engagement by Andy McFeate

Sadly Olly left for New Zealand on the 5th January. It was his plan after all… I was quietly devastated. We spoke everyday on the phone and a month slowly passed. Olly then decided it was time to come back to me; he parted ways with Tom, changing their entire plan. I was sad for Tom but selfishly ecstatic!

Olly could only stay one month, as he had a return flight home. It was one of the best months of my life and we knew that “this was it” and plans for our future started to form. Olly was to return to England and I would go to visit in three weeks time (a trip that was already planned!). I truly believe everything happens for a reason!

After a great but again brief few days in London meeting friends and family, we took off to Spain and Italy to continue our adventure. Close to a month side by side, it was like a honeymoon. Olly called it our “Jammy-Moon”. (“Jammy” is London slang for “Lucky”). A week into the trip whilst we were in Barcelona, Olly bought a temporary engagement ring – I had kind of joked him into it; not thinking he was serious! On April 15th, 2010 and honestly to my complete surprise, he got down on one knee on a gondola in Venice and asked me to be his wife. I was gob smacked and beyond words. Two things that rarely happen to me!

Sadly AGAIN we had to part ways, Olly had decided he was going to wrap up life in England as he knew it. We were to be married and live together. On May 3rd, 2010 he arrived in Australia. We had an engagement party in Melbourne shortly after his arrival!

Lolly & Olly Engagement by Andy McFeate

Lolly & Olly Engagement by Andy McFeate

Lolly & Olly Engagement by Andy McFeate

Speed forward 9 months… wedding planning is underway – THE DATE: April 15th, 2011! (Yes a year to the date he proposed!)

Ms Polka Dot says: What a lovely story! All around the world (well, almost!) with a very happy ending! Thank you Lauren and Olly for sharing your engagement story with us!

Lauren tells us: I am a 28 year old, Melbournite. Originally from Queensland, I spent 11 years in Adelaide on the way to Melbourne. Engaged to an Englishman and in the process of starting a life together and planning a wedding!

Photography by Andy MacFeate – Red Shandy Designs (who happens to also be my best friend/bridesmaid’s husband!)