On April 2, 2022, while speaking on the same panel at a conference, Will knew almost instantly that Elise was the one for him. "From the first meeting on the panel to our first date in LA, I felt a connection to Elise that was both familiar and inspiring." he reminisced. That was when their love story began and when marriage entered the picture, it eventually led them to Valerie Madison Fine Jewelry.
"Elise had been following Valerie Madison on Instagram and shared a few of the company's posts." Will shared, "I love that Valerie Madison was a brand that Elise liked." Will also loved that Valerie Madison didn't just have "amazing jewelry" but it was important to the couple that they support a Black-Latina woman jeweler. Furthermore, Elise wanted not only a beautiful piece of jewelry, but she desired a piece that was not your traditional engagement ring. Valerie Madison's nontraditional style and decade of expertise in creating custom engagement rings made Will "excited to create something that was unique and made for her." So in the end the choice was clear; Valerie Madison was the destination for their custom engagement ring.
Inspired by Elise's desire for multiple stones, unique shapes, and her favorite color brown, Will also wanted to incorporate Elise's background in French studies. With the help of our jewelry specialist, Amara, this led Will to choosing our Toi et Moi setting with specially sourced, uniquely shaped natural diamonds. "I thought the pear and marquise shapes were unique and still had a timeless look." Will shared.
Our custom ring process is specifically designed to be an easy and straightforward way of helping our clients determine the ring of their dreams down to the last detail. "The best word to describe the process with Amara is collaborative." said Will, "It was fun to share photos and tell stories of Elise and I's story." Will even went a step further and created a mood board to help our jewelry specialist, Amara, get to know Elise better. "Instantly, Amara picked up on Elise's energy and vibe and was able to provide the perfect feedback."
Not only did Will divulge that he did not expect the custom ring process to be so fun, but he also enjoyed "putting special touches into the ring." He also shared, "I think the fact that we did the entire thing virtually (with only one in person visit towards the end) was pretty remarkable." Which is exactly how we designed our custom engagement ring process to be; easy and straight forward whether you're near or far.
Though our custom engagement ring process can typically take 6-8 weeks from beginning to end, the end result is always worth the wait. On seeing the finished ring for the first time, Will shared that he was overjoyed. "Seeing a dream come to life and holding the symbol of my love and commitment to Elise was so special. It looked better than I could have even imagined!" raved Will.
With the ring in hand, Will collaborated with friends and family (including his mother, Gayle King, and her bestie, Oprah Winfrey) to create the perfect proposal experience for Elise. In sunny California, with close friends and relatives hiding nearby, Will got down on one knee and proposed to his beloved Elise. Needless to say Elise said "Yes!" to the custom Valerie Madison Toi et Moi engagement ring and happily showed it off to friends and family post-proposal.
Congratulations Will Bumpus Jr. and Elise Marie Smith on your engagement! We look forward to your wedding day and a lifetime of happiness together! Thank you for choosing us to be a part of your #lovestoriesingold!
