Hailey and Colin first crossed paths on campus at Florida Gulf Coast University in 2020, where Hailey was a new student and Colin was preparing to graduate. Their connection began when Colin struck up a conversation, curious about the new face he hadn’t seen around before. That semester, they shared two classes together, and while Hailey noticed Colin right away, it wasn’t until he moved to her table that they really started to connect. Not long after, Hailey sent him a follow request on Instagram. When the pandemic suddenly shut down campus, Hailey moved back to Miami to finish the semester online. After their final hydrology exam, Colin sent her a message to check in, and from that moment the two never stopped talking. By the time Hailey returned to campus, Colin was ready to take her on their very first date… tacos. From then on, everything fell into place, and the rest is history.

After nearly five years together, Colin decided it was time to plan a surprise getaway. Hailey was suspicious (and a little concerned) as Colin had never planned a vacation before. But after what felt like the world’s longest car ride, they finally arrived in Blue Ridge, Georgia to a tiny A-frame cabin tucked on the side of a mountain overlooking both the forest and river. They spent the trip exploring town, eating lots of good food, riding the train, and of course fishing, with many trips to the local fly shop. There were several local hiking spots nearby, but Colin had a special trail in mind and drove an hour away to pursue Preachers Rock. The trail was very steep, and while Hailey was taking her time, Colin kept pushing her along, worried about missing the sunset, even though it was only 3:00 PM. When they finally reached the overlook, they were met with a scene of sweeping mountains. Hailey, exhausted from the hike, dropped down to rest and take in the view, but Colin had something else planned. He led her to an overhang, where a couple hikers stepped aside and pulled out cameras. To Hailey’s complete surprise, Colin got down on one knee and with happy tears, Hailey said yes to her best friend. It was the perfect start to their forever.