PW Reader Ring: Samantha & Tom!


Samantha's ring!

Samantha’s ring!

The couple: Samantha Sendlewski and Tom Banyar from Media

The ring: My ring is white gold with a diamond-studded criss-cross band with the center diamond set in a basket setting with a tucked partial halo. It’s perfect—I wanted a unique band and a raised diamond that would really sparkle! We had been shopping to get an idea of would style would be best, and after a few trips to various jewelry stores, I found a design I loved. So then Tom decided to bring me to a family friend and jeweler, Lioness Antiques. (They’re in Philly and Garnet Valley.)

We met with Maureen from Lioness and talked about the design, and from there, Tom and Maureen kept the secret from me for months and worked to make a one-of-a-kind ring based off the design I adored. Tom got me exactly what I wanted and I couldn’t be happier!

The proposal: Tom proposed on Thanksgiving Eve. We were walking down State Street in Media to the local bars for a night out on the town when he stopped to “tie his shoe” in front of the store Quincy’s (which happened to have the perfect overhead lighting to catch the sparkle of the diamond).

The proposal was short, sweet and simply, “Will you marry me?” There were no tears, just happiness and a little shock.  We had been dating for over three years, but I was not expecting it that night. As we continued our walk to the restaurant, a stranger who was driving by during our proposal came up and asked if we had just gotten engaged—he was the only witness on a normally busy street! After that, we made our way a few blocks down to Iron Hill Brewery where our family and friends were waiting to celebrate. It was an amazing way to end the evenin—toasting to the engagement and being surrounded by some of the most important people in our lives.

The band: The wedding band will mimic the diamond criss-cross band on the engagement ring. The single band will fit snug next to it and go underneath the center diamond. We have already met with Lioness to plan for my band and Tom’s wedding band, too.

Read other PW Reader Ring stories here

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