Heartwarming engagement: New Zealand man proposes with seashell girlfriend gave him on their first date

The couple go by the name expedition earth on Instagram, documenting their travels together. Photo / Supplied

A Kiwi woman was left speechless when her boyfriend proposed with a shell she found on their first date.

Topher Richwhite and Bridgit Thackwray are known for their travels around the world, going by the name expedition earth on Instagram. They embarked on their adventure after just six weeks together.

The couple go by the name expedition earth on Instagram, documenting their travels together. Photo / Supplied

The Daily Mail reports the pair got engaged on January 4, sharing the news several weeks later on Instagram.

Thackwray told Femail she was "so happy she forgot to say yes" - and revealed the sweet token her fiance used to propose.

She'd handed him the seashell on the beach near their home in New Zealand on their very first date - and he kept it during their travels through 67 countries.

"He told me he wasn't sure about marriage, but if he ever did propose he knew how he would do it ... I hadn't even remembered the shell."

Richwhite proposed with a shell from their first date - and a diamond. Photo / Supplied

Richwhite explained in the emotional proposal video that the shell represented her heart, beautiful and fragile.

The pair met when he was 31 and "really enjoying the single lifestyle" - and when he asked his psychologist if he should get into a relationship, they warned him that hearts break if they aren't looked after.

Those words stuck with him when his wife-to-be first gave him the little shell on the beach.

The pair set out to travel through 90 countries before Covid cut their plans short. Photo / Supplied

Weeks after meeting, they set out to buy a car - a Jeep Gunther - and travel the world together. They planned to travel through 90 countries in three years, splitting the journey into three parts to travel home to get visas and passports.

Richwhite kept a little silver box with the shell inside, but it took him four years to tell Thackwray he loved her - when they got back home after leaving their car in Russia as a pandemic was declared.

The pair have always been "inseparable" and now live in a tiny house on a remote property in the north of New Zealand.

The pair now live in a tiny house in the north of NZ. Photo / Supplied

Last year Richwhite went into town alone two days in a row, telling his girlfriend he needed to buy her a Christmas present.

"On the second day I told him I didn't need one, not wanting him to go again," Thackwray admitted.

During his time in town Richwhite had actually purchased the diamond for a ring, which he gave to Thackwray along with the shell from their first date.