Broadcaster Wilhelmina Shrimpton wasn’t at all suspicious when her rugby referee beau Ben O’Keeffe set up a tripod to snap perfect shots of the pair at Chapman’s Peak lookout just out of Cape Town – of course he’d want to capture the stunning sunset views of Table Mountain, as well as the vintage AC Chevy Cobra V8 they were touring in.
But then he dropped to one knee to propose, holding out a stunning diamond ring.
“There were definitely tears,” shares Wilhelmina. “It was just so perfect and beautiful. I feel incredibly lucky.”
Ben, 35, smiles, “It was perfect. I got some advice from my sister Claire, who was like, ‘Whatever you do, just try to capture it.’ I do have some friends in Cape Town and I thought I might have to tell them to hide in a bush on Tuesday at 5.45pm to get some pictures. Fortunately, I didn’t need to do that!”
The newly engaged pair were celebrated with cheers and beeps from people driving past on the picturesque road that winds along the south-western tip of South Africa.
“It was lovely having everyone cheering for us,” laughs Wilhelmina, 34. “There’s just something about an engagement that gets people and if you witness one, it’s really special.”
They then enjoyed a magical safari together, spotting lion cubs, elephants and leopards.
“We basically had a little engagement-moon,” says Wilhelmina. “It was so nice that only our close friends and family knew, and we weren’t diving straight back into work.
“We had a chance to soak it up, just the two of us, in one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to.”
Ben had been planning the proposal for some time.
“As soon as I meet Wils, I knew this was something I wanted to do in the future,” he admits. “Then I was invited to referee games in Japan and South Africa. We worked out that Wils could fit joining me into her busy schedule.
“Everything fell into place. I just had to work out where and when I would pop the question, which was exciting but a bit stressful.”
Ben, who juggles his role as a top-level referee with work as a locum medical registrar, had bought the ring in March after getting excellent intel about what his future bride would like.
As luck would have it, Wilhelmina – who also runs her own business Wils & Co Media – was MCing a Breast Cancer Cure event and one of the sponsors was The Diamond Shop.
“They said I could borrow some jewellery to wear to the event and while I was there, I took the opportunity to try on a few of their stunning engagement rings,” grins Wils.
The staff shared what style Wilhelmina loved with Ben and he went in to design the bespoke oval solitaire ring with them the next day.
“They worked undercover for me!” he laughs. “I went in to look at the ring and told them I’d think about it because you’re supposed to think about these big decisions. I got halfway down the street, then went back in and got it. There was no reason to think about it. If that’s the one Wils likes, then I love it too.”
Wilhelmina definitely felt impressed. “I love nothing more than I love Ben, but the ring’s up there!” she chuckles.
Wilhelmina’s mum Wendy had a preview of the sparkler.
“Wils is incredibly close to her mum, so I had a chat with her almost straight away,” recalls Ben. “Then I told my family the day before we left. They were so excited and happy. Of course, we talked to everyone after Wils said yes!”
Wilhelmina adds, “That’s what’s been really special. I’ve got quite a small family and Ben’s got quite a big family, and there have been a few moments when I get a bit misty-eyed, especially talking to his sister Claire. We’ve had a couple of exchanges about how excited we are to be each other’s future sister-in-laws.”
The besotted couple will get to celebrate with their family in person over the Christmas period. They’re also going to take some time enjoying their engagement before launching into full- scale wedding planning.
“We haven’t set a date or anything like that yet,” tells Wilhelmina. “We’re probably looking around 2026-ish because weddings take a long time to plan, and then we’ve got rugby and work schedules to consider. We’ll just enjoy being in the bubble for a while.
“That’s not to say that I will not be adding more to my Pinterest board! We’ve had some thoughts on various venues and that type of thing, but it’s very early days. There are so many beautiful places in Aotearoa to say ‘I do’!”