Love stories: Royce and Ashley
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELves?
Royce: I’m a trainee solicitor born and bred in London who’s happiest in the kitchen cooking, or in a cinema surrounded by snacks and a pick 'n' mix that probably cost more than my actual cinema ticket.
Ashley: I’m a Northerner and solicitor who loves cosy nights in with a horror film, all things dinosaur related, and playing video games, usually old school Pokémon games on the Gameboy. I'm basically in my thirties but still a big kid at heart!
HOW DID YOU MEET?
Ashley: we met at university! I was a fourth year just back from my year abroad and Royce was in his second year. Although we both studied law, our paths never crossed until we both opted for the same module “Shakespeare & the Law”. Clearly, we both had a flare for drama and the unconventional!
Royce: but in a conventional way, things really started to blossom once the module ended, and Ashley hosted a pre-drinks which ended in a night of clubbing. 10 years later, we're forever grateful for that fateful night on the dance floor!
Tell us about the proposal?
Royce: we had planned a trip to Tuscany where we stayed at a villa in the rolling hills, with a focus on farm to table cooking and outstanding wine. After arriving, I led Ashley to the olive groves to an abandoned castle ruins overlooking the hills and, after fumbling around with my words and nervously pretending to take photos of the view, I popped the question!
Ashley: and I thought that’s where the surprises stopped, but how wrong was I?! I thought we were having dinner in the restaurant on site, but Royce surprised me with a private 8 course dinner surrounded by flowers, champagne and finished off by watching the first movie we ever watched together on a projector Royce had especially hired (and yes, it was a horror film!)
What LED YOU TO BEAR?
Royce: I'd been saving up ideas I'd found for a while, collecting designs and inspiration online that focused on emeralds and some subtle sparkle. I knew I wanted to create a bespoke ring, and I came across Bear’s Instagram as I was looking for designers with a real distinct flare to match Ashley’s unique eccentricity but would still create a ring that was timeless. I was immediately drawn to Bear’s bold, chunky and vintage inspired designs, and most importantly I wanted to work with someone who had worked with LGBTQ+ couples. I opted for the bespoke process, and Bear was key in developing my ideas until we created a perfect ring for Ashley. I felt at complete ease during the process and thoroughly loved each stage of the journey.
AR: Royce had told me the amazing experience he’d had with Bear and so it was a no-brainer that I’d reach out when it came to getting Royce his ring. He fell in love with a BB signature solitaire ring from the bridal collection and I knew I had to get it! I can echo Royce in saying that working with Bear was an absolute dream. I came into the process knowing very little about rings but Bear reassured me and because they already knew Royce, it felt like choosing a ring with a friend! Bear was so invested in our proposals, and I felt in the safest of hands throughout the whole journey.
What do you love about each other?
Royce: I love Ashley’s quirkiness and unapologetic eccentricity. Ashley has an unwavering drive which is so inspiring and has continued to push me in my career and personal life, constantly reminding me that I can achieve anything. Ashley has an infectious humour, warmth, and positivity that everyone that meets him is absolutely drawn to. After almost a decade together, I’m still truly obsessed with him!
Ashley: I love that Royce always makes me feel safe and reminds me of everything we have to be grateful for. He always puts others first and his vibrant outlook on life is inspiring. As a Gemini, Royce has a sassy side (which I'm sure our friends would attest to) which means there's never a dull moment around him! I was such an anti-romantic before we met, but Royce has broken down those walls and I feel very lucky to call him my fiancée!
Any wedding plans?
Royce: I think we’re relatively relaxed at the moment. We haven’t really got a date in mind and we’re pretty flexible, but we have a strong idea of what we want for the wedding - we're thinking a camp, yet classy affair with outstanding food and a dancefloor without a curfew.
Ashley: we're both very aligned to the fact that we want our favourite music playing until the early hours of the morning which includes all the pop divas! We want our wedding to be a colourful spectacle and we're almost certain that we're set on a destination wedding (country TBC...).
Royce’s ring from Ashley, our Solitaire IV
Ashley’s ring from Royce, a bespoke emerald and diamond ring