“We’re getting married!”

Braeden and Kayla met online while she was attending school at Central Washington University. From their very first conversation, the connection between them was instant and undeniable—they both knew they had found something special. When he came up to meet her in person for the first time, it quickly became clear that being apart was already too difficult. What was supposed to be a short summer visit to see him in the Tri-Cities turned into something much more—Kayla never left. Their bond only grew stronger, and from that point on, they knew they were exactly where they were meant to be: together.

Kayla had been playfully teasing Braeden for weeks, saying their upcoming trip to Leavenworth would be the perfect place for a proposal. Surrounded by loved ones—both of her parents, his mom, and their brothers—the setting felt magical. After lunch, Kayla suggested heading down to the park by the river to take photos for their Christmas cards. As they walked down the hill, she jokingly told Braeden to "just take my promise ring and do it," not realizing he was already carrying an engagement ring. They made their way to a bridge to snap a few pictures, and after just a couple of shots, Braeden surprised her by getting down on one knee. Kayla was completely shocked and instantly overwhelmed with emotion, bursting into tears and repeatedly saying she had only been joking—never expecting the moment to actually happen. Though her camera didn’t save the photos, they captured the moment on video, and Jae even FaceTimed Braeden’s dad so he could be a part of the proposal too. It was everything Kayla had dreamed of—made only sweeter by the presence of their families. The only thing that could’ve made it more perfect would have been their sisters being there... and maybe a little snow. We're so excited to celebrate this next chapter in our lives with you. See you soon!

In the first week of April 2024, Kayla and Braeden were staying at her sister Mallory’s apartment. They had just taken their engagement photos that Monday, and Braeden jokingly said they had “another announcement”—even though they didn’t, at least not yet. On Wednesday, April 3rd, after touring their wedding venue, Kayla’s period was still late, which was unusual for her. Back at Mallory and Isaac’s place, she decided to take a pregnancy test, feeling a strange gut instinct to record their reactions—but convinced it wouldn’t be positive, she didn’t. As Braeden lay down, Kayla sat on the edge of the air mattress, anxiously watching the timer. When she opened the test, to her complete shock, there were two lines. All she could say was, “Oh my god.” They were both overjoyed and stunned—they hadn’t expected to get pregnant so soon. They immediately shared the news with Mallory, and months later, on December 2nd, 2024, their greatest gift arrived: sweet baby Everett, the perfect addition to their family.