- How did you meet?
- Tell us your proposal story.
- Describe your engagement session. Did you have a theme?
- What did you do on your first date?
- What’s your favorite thing to do as a couple?
- How has wedding planning been so far?
- Tell us what you’re looking forward to most on the wedding day.
- Want more European engagement session inspiration?
- Vendors:
Grace and Sandor’s romantic European engagement session is featured in Issue 33!
The couple first met in 2022 in the stunning city of Budapest after matching on Bumble. Through effortless early conversations and quickly scheduled next dates, the pair knew they were in it for the long haul.
Just a little over a year after their initial meeting, the pair were ready to take their relationship to the next level. They discussed their proposal plans openly — “I knew about it and had a nice dress on and my makeup done, and had gotten my nails done earlier in the week,” Grace shares.
Though Grace was aware that the proposal was coming, she was still overcome with emotion when Sandor popped the question on a sunny summer Friday on the balcony of their shared apartment.
Using a personalized light projection that read, “Grace, will you marry me?”, Sandor managed to catch Grace off guard as he got down on one knee. “It was the easiest ‘Yes’ of my life,” Grace recalls.
Before the couple ties the knot in Nairobi this May, they wanted to commemorate their engagement with a gorgeous photoshoot in the city where they first fell in love. Budapest’s iconic Fisherman Bastion served as their backdrop for the shoot; the monument’s medieval-inspired architecture is reminiscent of a castle, the perfect environment for romantic photos that look straight out of a fairytale.
See more photos from the couple’s romantic European engagement session below!
- Couple: Grace Mbai & Sandor Nemeth
- Occupations: Grace – Public Health Specialist | Sandor – Senior Software Engineer
- Wedding date: May 28, 2025
- Wedding location: Nairobi, Kenya
- Location of Engagement shoot: Fisherman’s Bastion, Budapest, Hungary
- Photographer: Kateryna Unuvar
How did you meet?
We met on Bumble! I had joined the app a couple of weeks before then after a nudge from a friend. I was living in Budapest and he was living in Berlin. He had come to Budapest for the week to visit his family there. On that random Tuesday morning, I was aimlessly scrolling on my phone and got on Bumble. And my very first right swipe of the day was him! It was a match! As is with Bumble, I had to reach out first. So I immediately messaged him and introduced myself. Our conversation flowed so effortlessly and we planned for a first meeting the very same day!
Tell us your proposal story.
It was a Friday! Last one of September so summer was leaving but on this particular day, it was bright and sunny! He did a lovely set-up at the spacious balcony of our apartment complete with a decorative balloon garland, a picnic mat and table, plush cushions, and lots of candles!
I knew about it and had a nice dress on and my makeup done, and had gotten my nails done earlier in the week. The ring had arrived weeks ago and was sitting somewhere hidden. (Yes, I tried looking for it, but couldn’t find it at all!!). Today was the day, I walked out to the balcony thinking, ‘I’m aware of this so I won’t be surprised or emotional.’
I was so wrong, he still managed to surprise me! He’d secretly ordered a personalized light-up name box on Etsy that projected ‘Grace, will you marry me?’ on our white wall. As I was still staring at the wall he got on one knee and when I turned to ask how and where he got the light up, he asked the question!! It was the easiest ‘Yes’ of my life. We spent the rest of the evening enjoying the beautifully plated charcuterie board and savoring this new step!
Describe your engagement session. Did you have a theme?
It was chaotic. Wait, I’ll explain. We planned our shoot a month or two in advance. We knew we wanted it in Budapest because it’s where we met. Also, compared to Berlin, Budapest has a lot more stunning views.
First was finding a photographer whose work we liked. We checked out a few on Instagram and eventually agreed [on] Katerina! We reached out to her, paid the deposit, and secured the date. Initially, I deluded myself to think ‘I want something casual, [with a] relaxed vibe’.
My fiancé always knows to let me do my thing when it comes to planning. I got on Pinterest to explore ‘casual outfits’. They were not me at all. I’m not a casual outfit person ever but again, I was determined to be. So, I ordered several outfits that I found casual. About 10. They came. I liked none! They were not giving anything!
I then went back online to find a couple more and came across this dress and decided to get it as it could be a ‘wedding after-party or something’ dress!
As soon as the dress came and I fit it, it became the engagement shoot dress and the theme changed to ‘not casual’ very fast! His outfit went from a casual polo to a suit because the aesthetic changed courtesy of his extra bride!
The shoot was at 7 am! It’s the only time in Budapest when the spots we wanted were not crowded with tourists! I am not a morning person at all. I woke up at maybe 5 am to have my makeup and hair done. I was sleepy and miserable. My fiancé without his regular 2 morning coffees was also suffering.
The rising sun was blinding, and mid-May was already warm even that early in the morning. But we still managed to crack jokes and enjoy each other’s company as Katerina captured us in the most romantic way! I still was so glad to get to the house and go back to sleep!
What did you do on your first date?
We had Starbucks! Haha yes, our first date was on the same day we matched. We had talked a lot all day and decided to meet up in the early evening for a ‘quick meet and greet’. We met at a particular Starbucks that’s right by the River Danube in Budapest. I got my Iced Matcha Frappuccino, and he got his Venti Latte because, as I’ve now come to learn, even at 100 degrees, he doesn’t take his coffee iced! Ever.
We took a stroll by the Danube shores and continued our conversations from earlier, now in person! And since then, we’ve never stopped talking. In fact, we scheduled our second date for the very next day, a stand-up comedy show, which we both very much enjoy and have made a habit of going to every so often.
What’s your favorite thing to do as a couple?
Being alone together. And no, I don’t mean the absence of people but the presence of us. We truly enjoy being in each other’s space when we’re not doing the same thing. We call it the ‘keeper of each other’s solitude’. He in his corner, me in mine in the same space doing entirely different things and just loving each other’s company! Don’t get me wrong, we do love going places and spending time talking, watching stuff, and eating at new spots, but just having each person in their solitude while not really being alone is by far our favorite ‘us’ thing!
How has wedding planning been so far?
Pretty smooth to be honest! I have a skill when it comes to planning. Always did! And he is a tech nerd! So he gets me the tools for making my planning process smooth and I deal with the vendors because they are mostly Kenyan (which I am too). We set our budget early on and have done our best to stick to it. I sift through the vendors and then give him 3-5 of my best options and he helps me decide who we should settle for. We’re a great team and have already secured most of our vendors.
Tell us what you’re looking forward to most on the wedding day.
A whole lot of things. I’m personally looking forward to seeing his reaction as I come down the aisle since we decided against a first look. He is also very much looking forward to this part! Together, we’re looking forward to celebrating and dancing with our family and friends who have traveled from different places to be with us in Kenya, some for the first time! I’m so looking forward to seeing how everything turns out! What we’ve been planning for months. Most of all, I’m looking forward to finally making the everyday promises that we make to each other, just this time in front of all our loved ones!
Want more European engagement session inspiration?
Click here.
Vendors:
- Photographer: Kateryna Unuvar
- Makeup: Grace Wikwatyo Mbai
- Videographer: Konstantin Bohorszkij
- Hair: Dr. Keziah Asantewaa
