Q & A with bride and groom: 

How did you meet?

We met on Tinder. It was a match that lit a beautiful flame. (Kyle was adamant about including that last line. Haha) We met in the summer of 2014 in Arizona. From May to July, we spent every weekend together in Flagstaff, AZ hiking, eating the best foods, and getting to know each other. I didn't know this then, but Kyle knew early on that I was the one that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Unfortunately, the timing wasn't right, so we took a two year break. While we only had a short time together, we laid the foundation to build something much bigger later. We remained good friends and kept in touch with each other during that time.

Fast forward two years to May 2016, Kyle got a job in Colorado and was moving. He really wanted to see me one last time before he left, so he asked if I would meet him at our favorite burrito place in Flagstaff. We met and talked as friends, but couldn't ignore the feelings that we still had for each other. Kyle later told me that when he left our meeting that day, he knew that he needed me back in his life. Soon after, we started talking to each other daily and making plans to see each other. Those plans turned into flights, weekend turn around trips, and vacations together. I was smitten and knew without a shadow of a doubt that Kyle was the one. We endured what felt like FOREVER (1.5 years) of long distance. I had to finish out the remainder of my nursing contract at work and Kyle was establishing himself in his new role at his company.

In January 2018, we moved in together and started our family (we adopted two cats, Quincy and Oliver). We were relieved, both emotionally and financially, that the long distance portion of our relationship was over.

What is your proposal story?

Kyle FINALLY PROPOSED on the coast of Oregon on June 24, 2018. Side note, I had been pestering him for at least a year about engagement and marriage. As far as I knew, we were taking the trip to visit his parents and grandparents, but he had other plans. We took a walk on the beach with his parents. While we were walking, his mom was taking a lot of pictures of us, but I didn’t think much of it at first. Then there was a point in the walk where I thought, “This would be a cute place to get engaged. Wait, is he going to propose to me?” So, I just asked him, “Baby, are you going to propose to me?” Haha He looked at me in a way that he had never done before, smiled, and said, “Well...yeah,” and pulled out a ring I recognized very well. It was the last ring that my grandpa gifted my Nana before we passed away. She was gracious enough to offer it as my engagement after I told her I loved it and that Kyle was the one. Kyle called and asked her for it months prior and kept it hidden at home until that day. Kyle got on his knee and asked me to marry him. After I kept asking, “Are you serious?” I said, “Of course!” I think he was nervous because he put the ring on my right ring finger. We both laughed and then he switched it to my left ring finger. I gave him a hug and a kiss and started crying. It was one of the best days of my life.

Tell us a little a bit about your wedding (your vision, color, style, and location choices).

We didn’t really have a theme per se, but our colors were olive green, burnt orange, and mustard seed yellow. (Very fall/Earth tones)

What was the most important to the two of you while planning? Was there anything that you chose to splurge on or skip?

The most important thing for us was making sure that our day was all about what we wanted, no one else. We wanted the essence of our love to be on display for our friends and family to experience. We definitely splurged on food, alcohol, and photos/videographer. We wanted our guests to enjoy themselves and to have great memories.

What were your favorite parts of the day? (memories and stories)

Kyle’s were seeing me walk down the aisle and watching all of our friends and family have fun.

Mine were the first moment I saw Kyle when I walked down the aisle and the amount of love that was present on our day.

Tell us about your wedding flowers.

I had inspiration from a bouquet I saw on Pinterest. I asked that our florist incorporate our colors into my and my wedding party’s bouquets. They did an amazing job!

Did you include any family heirlooms or special traditions?

My grandpa was not able to be present at our wedding physically because he passed away, but he was represented well. I had a picture of him on my bouquet he had a seat in the front row. In addition to this, I had my Nana’s wedding ring on my bouquet.

Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now?

Plan a wedding that is what you and your partner want. Don’t let the opinions of others get in the way of your vision. You’ll be less stressed and much happier.