The Tamesis
“I talked to the team at Four Seasons and they helped me arrange a photographer for a tropical proposal ceremony in a small motu near the resort, where we were able to take a canoe and have a celebratory dinner. I also contacted my friends at Over the Moon and loaned Liv a Galvan dress and me a Fanm Mon dress to wear for the proposal photos,” Shelby said.
On June 30, 2024, they spent the morning jet skiing on the island. When they returned to the resort, Shelby found the beach bar staff preparing cocktails where she and Liv were drinking pina coladas. To avoid ruining Liv’s surprise, Shelby kept pointing out random objects in the house and fish in the water. (Liv later revealed that Shelby’s diversion strategy wasn’t entirely successful.)
Although motu dinner plans were thwarted by strong winds, they were still able to have their proposal there. “I’m nervous at this point, but mostly excited,” Shelby said. When they reached the beach, a canoe took them to a motu decorated with tropical plants. They each pulled out their ring boxes and wondered who would go first.
“I decided to give it my all, and of course the moment I got down on one knee, I automatically started crying,” Shelby said. After Liv said “yes,” she proposed to Shelby. After exchanging the rings, they saw for the first time the special message engraved on the rings.
“Early on in our relationship, I told Shelby that she taught me what it felt like to be deeply loved, so I showed her the inside of her ring, which was engraved with the words: ‘Thank you for teaching me what love is.’ Mine was engraved in her handwriting and said ‘my love,'” Liv shared.
After more tears and photos, they had a celebratory dinner with flowers, champagne and a multi-course meal in a chapel overlooking the lagoon. “Our double proposal felt like the perfect way to enter this chapter as a true couple – doing things our way and hopefully inspiring other queer couples to do the same,” Liv said.
In December 2024, they held a civil wedding in New York. “After the 2024 election, Liv and I felt it would be safer as a queer couple to legally get married before the big wedding,” Shelby said. “Although we had a date set for November 2025, we were concerned about possible actions by the new administration and the Supreme Court that could overturn our right to marry. We decided to have a civil ceremony on December 27, 2024, at the Upland Restaurant in New York City, which was originally planned to take place within a month. We had 12 guests, including family members and family friends and their officiating partner.”
They then worked with planners Tory Smith and Lauren Silavin of smith+james to plan a grand wedding celebration for November 22, 2025, at the Wythe Hotel.
