The first time I noticed Andrew was when we were in the same PE class together, I was a sophomore and he was a junior in high school. I thought he was cute, and my close friends at that time knew and tried to get me to talk to him, but I never made a move because I was too nervous. Then a year later, Andrew and I had another class together, Writing Foundations, where I noticed him again but was still too scared to talk to him. I didn’t think he would want anything to do with me if he was going to be graduating anyways so I tried to forget about him. Fast forward another year later in the summer of 2015, I noticed that Andrew changed his profile picture on Facebook and was once reminded of him again. This time, I finally decided to just go for it and try and talk to him, but I wanted to get his attention first so I unfriended him on Facebook and then friended him back again. Once he friended me back on Facebook I liked his new profile picture and a few other pictures of him. A few minutes later the next thing I noticed is that I had a new message from him! We talked to each other on Facebook and then shortly after exchanged phone numbers where we texted one another every day, and then went on our first date a couple weeks after.. the rest is history!

Andrew and I went on our first vacation together to Panama City Beach, Florida, with two of my best friends that I met in high school, Ryan Hageman and Cheyenne Bangs. On our second night, we went out for supper at a restaurant that overlooked the beach. We all planned to dress up for the night so we could take pictures on the beach afterwards. I first asked Andrew to take a picture of me and then he asked if I could take a picture of him too. We walked closer to the shoreline where he wanted me to take his picture. After I snapped a picture of him, Andrew gave his phone to Ryan so he could take a picture of us together. Andrew and I were enjoying the view of the ocean, and he was telling me how much he loved me and wanted to spend forever with me. Then suddenly I noticed that he was down on one knee and popped the question! I jumped up and down, cried tears of happiness, and said “YES,” and we were engaged. Panama City Beach, Florida will forever hold a special place in our hearts now. We’re so excited to celebrate this next chapter in our lives with you.

Ceremony Decorah Fish Hatchery 2325 Siewers Spring Rd, Decorah, IA 52101 *Backup location: Burr Oak Lutheran Church 2358 360th St, Decorah, IA 52101 Reception Silvercrest Golf Club 2772 College Dr, Decorah, IA 52101