Keaton & Kaitlyn
A Love Story Sparkling in Every Detail
How Keaton designed the perfectcustom engagement ring to match Kaitlyn’s understated yet timeless style!
Keaton and Kaitlyn’s love story began with a camping trip after meeting through mutual friends. Their connection grew stronger, even across the distance between Kamloops and Kelowna, as they held onto one another through every adventure. Now, after nearly a decade together, they’re happily married with a beautifully custom-designed ring that represents their shared journey and the special bond they’ve built along the way.
JK: How did you two first meet?
Keaton: We first met through mutual friends at a Christmas bonfire back in college.
Kaitlyn: Yeah, we started talking, and our first official date ended up being a camping trip to Osoyoos. It wasn’t a typical date at all.
Keaton: I hadn’t done much camping before, so it was kind of funny. You can’t really get away from each other when you’re camping, right? So you’re kind of stuck!
Kaitlyn: [Laughs] I was probably there just to make sure he’d survive the night.
Keaton: After that trip, we just kept going strong. Fast forward almost nine years and here we are.
JK: When did you know you were going to propose?
Keaton: I knew pretty early on, honestly. Even in those early days, it was obvious. She’s not only an incredible person to me, but the way she treats everyone around her… I just always thought, ‘This is the person I want to marry.’
Kaitlyn: And yet, it took you eons to propose! [Laughs]
Keaton: [Laughs] I know, I know. Timing was everything, though. I was still finishing school and settling into my career. We were in Kamloops at the time, so it took a little longer than it probably should have.
JK: Tell us about the proposal. Was it a surprise?
Keaton: Yeah, I proposed during a camping trip to Oregon. We were with some of our close friends, and I was pretty nervous about where to hide the ring, so I ended up putting it in the center console of our car. I just kept thinking, ‘This better work out!’
Kaitlyn: I was completely oblivious! I had no idea.
Keaton: It was all set up for this perfect beach sunset moment. I was standing by waiting, and Kait was busy playing fetch with our dog. When she finally turned around, I got down on one knee.
Kaitlyn: I think I was in shock. My first words were, ‘What is that?’ [Laughs] I just didn’t expect it at all!
Keaton: It was pretty great. Our wonderful friend took photos of the whole thing too, so now we’ve got those memories captured forever.
JK: Let’s talk about the rings. Who took the lead in designing them?
Keaton: I did! Kait’s not a big jewelry person, so I wanted something she’d feel comfortable wearing every day. Simple but meaningful.
Kaitlyn: He did an amazing job. The ring is perfect for me.
Keaton: I worked with JK Schmidt on the design. I knew Kait wanted something understated, but I also wanted it to have some special details. The band is quite thin, and where the diamond meets the ring, there’s this subtle split. The jeweller really brought that detail to life.
Kaitlyn: It’s so well-designed, and you can tell there’s a lot of thought behind it. It’s very ‘me’.
Keaton: The whole process with JK Schmidt was great too. They were super receptive to my ideas, and they kept me in the loop the entire time. And that was good because I was on a bit of a tight timeline before our trip to Oregon!
JK: What was your wedding like?
Kaitlyn: We got married in Spain! It was the perfect location for us. We actually fell in love with the place when we visited Spain in 2019. There was this one night when we were in Ronda, walking along a boardwalk at sunset, and Keaton turned to me and said, “I feel like I should have proposed here.”
Keaton: Yeah, so we decided to come back to Spain for the wedding. It was in a beautiful old monastery that had been converted into a boutique hotel, nestled in the countryside.
Kaitlyn: It was a three-day celebration with our closest family and friends. The first night, we had a rehearsal dinner, and it just felt so intimate. Then the next day was the ceremony, and after that, we all hung out by the pool. It felt more like a vacation for everyone, not just a wedding.
JK: What advice would you give to couples planning their wedding or rings?
Keaton: I’d say, trust your local jeweler a.k.a Jk Schmidy! Be open and tell them your story. When they get to know you as a couple, they can help create something truly unique that reflects who you are.
Kaitlyn: Definitely! You want something meaningful. It’s not just about how it looks but how it feels.
Keaton: When you look at that ring every day, it should remind you of the love and the moments that went into creating it.
