Hani and Rio have been dating for only six months, but their love story began way back in 2009. Back then, Hani was a freshman at Institut Teknologi Bandung and Rio was her senior. "I liked him from the very beginning, but I never expected him to feel the same. On the last day of the student on-boarding session, he asked to walk with me until I found a ride home," recalled Hani.
Hani and Rio grew closer and closer, yet somehow they never made the relationship official despite obviously liking each other. "After graduating, we thought that we would never meet again," said Hani. In 2016, they unexpectedly reconnected and went out together several times. "We still shared the same feelings and he finally asked me to be his girlfriend," she continued.
A simple yet heartfelt wedding proposal soon happened where it all began. "We spent a weekend in Bandung and went to several places we used to visit in college. When we stopped by our faculty building, he proposed to me at the place where we first met. 'Even after six years, these feelings have stayed the same. I believe that you're the only one who can make me feel this way forever,' he said," reminisced Hani.
After the romantic proposal, Hani and Rio embarked on a journey to Sumba to capture their pre-wedding moments. They went to five scenic spots, starting from a breathtaking savanna. "We could see the savanna, ocean, and mountain in one frame from where we were standing. It was as if we were looking at a painting," said Hani.
The pair were also lucky enough to take pictures with Sumba's famous wild horses at Cemara Beach. During a session at Wairingding Hill, they caught the golden hour as the sky turned red and orange. Walakiri Beach, where the sand is pristine white and the water is crystal clear, was their last stop of the day.
The exciting journey did not stop there. Their last session took place at Rende Village, where a 200-year-old traditional house keeps embalmed bodies inside. "Who knew that we would take pre-wedding photos in front of a house with corpses inside? We also had some pictures taken with the exquisite Sumba tenun fabrics displayed in front of the house," shared Hani.
Throughout the entire engagement session, Jonathan from Calia Photography was a kind and helpful presence. "He researched all the spots and even suggested the kind of attires we should wear," said Hani. "Jonathan also turned on some relaxing music during the photo shoot. It really helped us to interact naturally and be ourselves," she continued, "As a result, the photos are beyond what words can describe! He captured not only the beautiful views, but also our genuine emotions."
