One single thread of gold tied me to you.

Caleb planned every detail - down to making sure Rachel had a manicure before he proposed. Caleb had Rachel’s ring custom-designed by their friend, Sarah Pruter. Then he enlisted the help of their friend, Keenan McCarthy, to trick Rachel into thinking she was getting a free manicure certificate a few days before. Finally, Caleb made sure he planned it for Fourth of July, so that Rachel could have fireworks in the background ❤️ That day, Caleb happened to be in a parade to promote the musical he was in at the time. Rachel knew the cast and went to support. It was SO HOT in sunny Southern California, and after hours in the heat and fun with friends, all Caleb and Rachel wanted to do was nap - and they did just that. Afterwards, Rachel said she still wanted to go watch fireworks but wanted it to be just them two - this worked perfectly for Caleb’s plan. They went out, and Caleb suggested picking up food from their favorite food truck to have a picnic before the fireworks. They drove off to the Universal City Overlook, which was a perfect spot to view fireworks, so Rachel didn’t suspect a thing. When they arrived, however, police were turning cars away due to overcrowding. Caleb is always quick to think on his feet, so he calmly drove around the neighborhood to find another spot, and he had great luck. Caleb and Rachel pulled over to a lookout spot over the canyon, where a few other folks were gathered. They may or may not have hopped over a fence to find a bit more of a secluded spot… As the fireworks began, Caleb held Rachel close and told her how lucky he is to have her and how happy they are together. A large firework erupted and Caleb got down on one knee, presenting the most beautiful ring. Rachel, immediately bawling, said yes in an instant and it was the best decision she ever made. (One part of the story that Rachel doesn’t like to tell: after wearing makeup and sweating it off in the parade, Rachel asked Caleb, “hey, is it okay if we just go in comfy clothes and no makeup to the fireworks?” Caleb lovingly tried to encourage Rachel to throw on some quick makeup but didn’t want to make his approach too obvious. This, plus the aforementioned immediate bawling by Rachel, meant there was no makeup to be seen and messy hair galore on this otherwise radiant evening. Plus, the musical he was in at the time? He was playing a middle schooler and therefore did not have a beard. So…that particular moment was not captured. 🤭)