During their freshman year of college, both Sam and Carlee joined a church, unaware of the results that would come. During the first months, they went and were completely unaware of the other until late September, the Christian Student Fellowship program went on a fall retreat. During this retreat, Sam and Carlee were put into the same breakout groups, and the rest is history. As early as that weekend, peers saw things that they did not. The two shy newcomers that were in separate groups from the friend they attended with, ended up talking for hours at a campfire and have been inseparable ever since.

Sam is not a patient guy. The second after deciding that he wanted to propose and that he wanted to propose soon, he wasted no time. After Sam had gotten Brian's blessing, he went online and designed a ring that he knew Carlee would love and cherish forever. While he was waiting on the ring, Sam made big plans. He had many conversations and many ideas were formed. Sam decided against all of these. After all of the planning he had done, the proposal Sam went with was completely spontaneous and from the heart. The ring was only in his hand for a couple of hours before it was on her finger. While moving Sam into a new apartment, his family just happened to deliver the ring as well. Sam did not know he was going to propose that night until he proposed. None of his plans were ready or completely decided upon. He was frantically trying to figure out if he was going to propose and how. He was thinking of different ways and how to set up a camera when he got a text from Carlee; she got out of work almost an hour early. Sam had no time and no plan, but he was about to propose. Carlee came to his apartment completely unaware, ready to help settle him into his apartment. Carlee noticed nervous energy about Sam but wrote it off as excitement for the new apartment and new pets that they had bought together. Their cats were being skittish and Carlee bent down under the bed to grab a cat, when she turned around unsuccessful, there he was. Sam was on one knee and Carlee was completely surprised. She had suspected eventually and maybe soon, but he still managed to surprise her. There was no fluff, no camera, no audience. There was just them, soaking up this moment, completely themselves and together. It was the perfect proposal for Carlee and Sam.