A little pearl & our engagement photos

A little pearl.. hand picked from the bottom of the seas in Tahiti. My husband, Gant, was able to take a trip this past February to Tahiti to visit an old mission companion of his, Faura. While he was there, he spent his days fishing, surfing, exploring and getting a local's view of the islands.

Faura took Gant around their families pearl farm and showed him the ropes of how to harvest a pearl, quite literally. They had buckets and buckets of pearls and under the water, ropes upon ropes of oysters about 60 ft down. They would dive down, grab onto the rope and pull on themselves along it until they'd find an oyster(s) and then bring it up. Then they'd crack it open and check for a pearl! They would do this all day long and then again the next day. After one long day's work, Faura's family let Gant pick out a couple perals to back bring home with him.

When Gant returned home, he wanted me pick a pearl out and told me he wanted us to take it to a local family friend who makes jewelry and I would be able to design any necklace I could imagine. This was always something that I had dreamed about being able to do. So we sat down with her and starting sharing and drawing different designs up, going through all the little details that we liked and didn't like. We finally came to the final design- a simple and elegant every day look, a small diamond sitting right above the pearl with gold clasp and details. I love every little thing about it. I loved being able to design and make something completely my own; it has become my every day necklace, a little piece of Tahiti I carry around with me.

*We took our engagement photos at sunrise in Cocoa Beach, Florida; a place that Gant and I both hold near and dear to our hearts.

*Photography by Eva Snider