Dawson and I met through mutual friends our junior year of college at Mississippi State. Dawson and I met in July 2017 but it wasn’t until November that he got my phone number and we began getting to know each other outside of our group setting. One afternoon Dawson asked if I wanted to pick him up and go play tennis... and about 5 minutes into our match Dawson realized I was not worthy competition (shocker). We agreed to cut the match short since it was Friday night and we both had plans to meet up and go out with our friends later. As we were trying to leave- we realized I had locked my keys inside my car and now we were stranded at the courts. Feeling guilty, I told Dawson he could leave and I would call someone to pick me up since his friends were all waiting on him. To my surprise, he offered to call Triple A and wait for them with me. So we sat and talked and got to know each other for the first time while we waited FOUR hours for them to arrive. Over the semester we began to hangout more frequently and although we had developed feelings for each other- dating was not on either of our radars. We both knew that Dawson would be leaving in January to move to Phoenix, Arizona for 8 months for his internship and I would be in Starkville for the semester. We were just getting ready to say goodbye at the end of the semeter when a snow storm hit Starkville and both of our parents didn’t want us driving home on icy roads. So there we were again- stranded together. If we hadn’t of been stranded together twice- who knows if Dawson and I would have ever really gotten to know each other. The night before Dawson had to leave for Arizona, he asked me to be his girlfriend. During 8 months of long distance, I flew out to visit Dawson any chance I had and that is how we came to decide on a destination wedding in Phoenix! Some of our best memories, hardest goodbyes, and biggest milestones happened out west.

After eight long months of long distance while Dawson lived in Phoenix, Dawson moved back to Starkville and we dated throughout the rest of our time at college. We graduated and were fortunate enough to both find jobs and move to Houston, Texas together in 2019. After a couple months of getting settled in our house and very busy work schedules, fall was coming quickly. Every year we try to plan a trip for my birthday in September, and usually Dawson makes it a surprise trip. A couple weeks before my birthday, Dawson reminded me my annual birthday trip and I didn't think anything of it. The day before my birthday we headed to the airport, and to my surprise I saw we were going to Phoenix! I was excited, but definitely not suspicious of an engagement. After spending our first day in Phoenix, we headed to Sedona- one of our favorite scenic cities two hours outside of Phoenix. The next morning (my birthday!) we woke up early and did a Pink Jeep tour through the mountains in Sedona and had lunch at a cool restaurant overlooking the red rocks. Later in the afternoon, we went back to our resort and Dawson told me that we had surprise dinner plans for my 23rd birthday. We pulled up to dinner at a beautiful restaurant that overlooks a small river flowing through the mountain in Sedona, called L'Auberge de Sedona. Whenever we were waiting to be seated, a lady asks if we would take a photo for their website since we were so dressed up. Thinking nothing of it- Dawson and I walked down by the river and took one photo with the lady. As we were walking away to be seated for dinner- Dawson got on one knee and asked me to marry him! We had a romantic dinner in a private gazebo right next to the river, with all of my favorite food, wine, and cake! After falling in love AND getting engaged in Arizona, it only made sense for us to have our wedding and celebrate with our favorite people in Arizona, too!