Last weekend in Venice, Dasha & I got engaged!! We are very happy and looking forward to what comes next.

Its been a long build up and I’ve had to keep tight-lipped under severe pressure for the last 4 weeks!

I took off to London on my own about 4 weeks ago to find the ring. Dasha did not suspect anything but did get annoyed that I didn’t take her - she’s over that now ;-)

Only Anna knew the purpose of the trip though as I needed her expert help in finding the right places to go. I found the perfect ring in the old diamond area of Hatton Garden. I saw a real cracker in a small designer shop and went in and checked it out. Fell in love with it straight away. Its 2.01 carats, modified square brilliant cut and its set in four claws so its very sparkly! It’s platinum with 5 small diamonds down each of the shoulders. Really simple, really classy and ........ exactly the right size for dash's finger! I played a blinder!

The proposal went like this. I sorted out a fantastic room in an old hotel overlooking the grand canal in Venice, we got a private boat from the airport to a dock at the hotel - it was sunset and entering Venice via a small canal in the outer wall on the back of an old wooden motorboat was so romantic. Dasha still had no idea but she was already blown away. We dropped our stuff off and went down to the hotel bar for a rum and cosmopolitan on the canal - before heading back to sleep.

I didn't sleep too much of course, I had hidden the ring under the bed so I could reach it easily and as we were waking at 7.30am I slipped off the bed down on my knee, grabbed the ring (but didn't show her) and proposed, while holding back the tears, to her in Russian - she was in shock and in disbelief until i pulled out the ring and shocked her again - she said yes (phew) and i have to say i was in tears as well... amazing. I was also happy she understood my Russian!

We chilled out with each other for the next couple of hours until I rang her mum. Again in Russian, I told her mum I had a serious question, that she had to sit down. She did and then I asked if I could marry her daughter and all she could say was "da da da" - yes, yes, yes. So then we spent the next week with Dasha's family and its been like a honeymoon. Quite amazing and we are so happy.

Mum and Dad have been in Rarotonga so I only got to tell this week so that wasn't good but everyone is great and happy for us.

We are still thinking about dates but it looks like we’ll get married on Hvar Island, Croatia in June next year.... but we’ll see!

Have a peek at the photo’s of our trip.... and for the ladies you can check out the ring ;-)