Ashley had been living in New York City. Harter had been touring with Peter and the Starcatcher. Ashley flew home to visit her dear friend, Rachel Prather, who was touring with Harter and staying at Lanyon's Lino Lakes home during the week long stint in Minneapolis, the home in which Ashley had grown up. The Lanyon's offered to invite the cast over for a spaghetti dinner. In walked Harter. The night was going off without a hitch. The actors, as you can imagine, were happily imbibing in the house wine and chatting over appetizers. Harter was hanging out close to the kitchen, conversing mostly with his hosts Scott and Vicki Lanyon. Ashley was holding court at the table with Rachel and the other guests. Vicki turns to the group and says, "I hope no one is Vegetarian" as she lifts a pot of meaty, homemade bolognese sauce to the buffet. Rachel perks up, realizing that she forgot to inform the Lanyons about Harter's dietary choices saying, "Harter's actually a VEGAN." He was planning to keep it all a secret and to stuff himself heartily with bread and salad. Scott offered a pesto option with the noodles as an alternative. Harter came to terms with eating said pesto, as Ashley swooped in to remove the parmesan-laden sauce from her father's grip. Working through this embarrassment, and finally sitting down to the meal, the conversation between Ashley and Harter had begun... Stuffed and buzzed, a venture onto the snowy wooded path behind the house was suggested. Boots and coats adorned, the group trudged their way to the nearby park, where they gave into the impulse to form and hurl snowballs. Harter thought the perfect way to further break the ice was to shove Ashley into a snowbank, though it was not the only time he would exhibit this behavior. Beyond recollection, he also shoved a tourmate, who happened to be flirting with Ashley, into the powder. Boldness colored this couple's first week together. Googly eyes had sprouted admiration and LOVE...

It should be noted that from when she was a teenager Ashley imagined herself getting married in Keene Valley, the location of the Lanyon Family cabin, in the high peaks region of the Adirondacks. The specific spot Ashley pictured her big day was Marcy Field, a wide open valley that is home to a small airstrip and the best farmers market you could imagine. Throughout the harrowing process of customizing their engagement ring, Harter had been searching for an opportunity to take a few days off work to travel our family to Keene Valley so he could take a knee. The opportunity (and the ring) came later than expected, but the timing couldn't have been more beautiful. We'd been in the car for seven hours, coming from a night's stay near Toronto. The long drive put the possibility of their intended hike off the table, which only meant the proposal was upon them sooner. Smoothly, he might add, Harter suggested they stop at Marcy Field to stretch their legs. Suspiciously, Ashley agreed. They set out on a sunset walk of the valley, stopping multiple times to take in the fall foliage, leaving Ashley with anticipatory breathlessness at each pause. Circling back around from the end of the field and entering the shady forest edge, it seemed as if Harter might chicken out. Smoothly, yet again, he suggested they move into the sun. Now was his chance. Harter scooped up Charley, as he often does, into his arms and cradled him like a wee babe. Unbeknownst to Ashley, also cradled in the embrace was the ring box. He suggested one more photo op and when Ashley obliged, he turned around to reveal the ring. Tears streaming, Ashley stood watching Harter set Charley down next to him as he knelt. He'd been rehearsing this speech for quite some time, and would later recount it word for word when she asked. They laughed and cried among the evergreens, joyfully celebrating this anticipated day. Oh, yes... he'd asked her to marry him... and she said "YES!"