Loved-up local stars Ella Hope-Higginson and Milo Cawthorne adore a grand gesture, especially at birthdays. For the past four years, Ella has celebrated hers by holding a pie-making competition with her friends – which is how she marked turning 33.
Milo’s romantic getaway with a twist
“But to ensure we did something for just the two of us, Milo organised a secret surprise trip a few weeks later,” says Time Bandits actress Ella, who’s starring alongside Lucy Lawless in My Life Is Murder.
However, Milo had an ulterior motive for booking a romantic seaside rendezvous.
The Under The Vines and Shortland Street actor, 36, explains, “Ella had never been to the Coromandel, so I booked a little bach with a hot tub in Whitianga. I thought we’d tootle around, do some walks and soak in hot water.”
It was on an evening trip to Hot Water Beach that Milo suspected he could be rumbled.
“We were staring up at the stars and Ella joked that it’d be a great spot to propose,”
he recalls. “We both laughed, but inside I was kicking myself because that’s what I intended to do that weekend. However, the ring was at the bach – 40 minutes away!”
Insists Ella, “I had no idea. We’d definitely talked about marriage, but I certainly wasn’t expecting anything that weekend.”
Little did Ella know that her partner of seven years had been hatching his plan for some time.
A proposal full of laughter and love
“About five months earlier, Ella had a role where she wore a ring,” tells Milo.
“The costumer was a friend and she secretly fed me Ella’s ring size.”
From that moment, the hopeless romantic hunted for rings and proposal spots.
“I initially thought Cathedral Cove, but the place was overrun with tourist drones and droning tourists – not so romantic!”
Despite waiting for the perfect moment, they were packing to leave when Milo decided to act. Ella remembers, “We were half-dressed, I had my back to Milo and he said, ‘Hey, I just love you so much.’ When I turned around, he was on one knee, holding the ring out.”
Milo continues, “I had planned on saying more but I was lost for words, then Ella started laughing hysterically.”
He took that as a yes and now the happy couple looks forward to enjoying a long engagement while they plan their big day.
Milo grins, “I love how Ella can make mundane moments exceptional – that packing up dirty old clothes can be as wonderful as Cathedral Cove at dawn!”
