A RELAXED LAST-MINUTE ENGAGEMENT PARTY

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH, 2016 | BY EMILY COATES

Lochie and Sofia were high school sweethearts and met back in the days of MSN Messenger, where they used to chat because they were too shy to talk to each other at school. Ten years later, while having a nerve-racking fish and chip dinner on the beach, Lochie popped the question. Sofia was overjoyed and of course she said yes!

Having a party was a last-minute decision as the couple were trying to save for their five-month long adventure in Europe – but at the same time, they wanted to celebrate with their loved ones. ‘Lochie comes from quite a large family that he’s very close to,’ Sofia said. ‘I come from a really tiny family, who all live in Russia, but we were lucky enough to have my grandparents fly in from Moscow. That was extremely special for us.’

The décor was relaxed. The couple had a gorgeous low table, which sat on Persian rugs and Moroccan pillows, and down the length of the table, bronze vases were scattered with flowers and candles. ‘It was really important for us to create hubs where people could gather,’ Sofia and Lochie said. ‘We made a hay bale lounge with scattered cushions and woven blankets, and a little grandpa lounge area. We also had two fire pits with hay bales, which was lovely to gather around when the sun went down. We wanted our guests to relax and enjoy the night.’

Bronze vases, glass jars, festoon lights which lit up the whole backyard, fairy lights, rugs, cushions, candles and lanterns were used as decorations. Sofia chose white, green and purple for the flowers. ‘As Lochie is a carpenter, he was able to build most of our tables for the party, including our drinks table, as well as putting together amazing walls made from palettes,’ Sofia said.

The party was all about hearty food. ‘We had a big tray of chicken, amazing salads made by our mothers and we made a couscous salad,’ Sofia said. ‘Later we served lots of cheese platters filled with delicious local cheese and homemade vegan dips, made by my good friend. We also had slices as something sweet.’

When it comes to planning your own party, ‘stay true to who you both are and try to incorporate personal touches where possible,’ Sofia and Lochie said. ‘Try not to get overwhelmed, as you can get carried away planning these type of events. Just do what is true to you.’