We met the spring of 2019 and the feelings started in the fall. It was our sophomore year in college, we bonded over little journeys and discoveries and fell in love over the goofy and unusual. Through finding rooftops and sunset spots, dancing in farmer’s fields, and exploring all that nature has to offer, we found that there wasn’t a day that we didn’t want to be together. After becoming best friends, we began officially dating on October 6th of 2020. “I love you” came shortly after. We knew in our hearts that we wanted to spend our lives together, which led us to a rainy winter day in the parking lot of whole foods, where we shared those feelings with each other for the first time.

My birthday is on June 16th, so of course Josh had a celebration in the works. He had planned out several gifts to give me throughout the week, one of them being a weekend camping trip with two of our closest friends. I can’t lie, there was a spark of hope in me for a certain special moment to occur as we drove to the campgrounds. The first day went by full of adventure and fun, but alas, no ring. I decided to put the thoughts of a proposal happening behind me so that I could simply enjoy the time we had. On the second day we were driving to what I thought was a lake, but Josh had schemed and brought us to the overlook where he had asked me to be his girlfriend. The hope instantly flared up inside me again as we pulled into the crowded parking lot. We all found it odd that the place was packed, and quickly realized that someone had already beat us to making the day special. There was a wedding happening in the spot where we started dating, so we decided to wait for a bit. After the wedding was over… a whole other wedding began. I could feel the frustration coming from Josh as he decided that it was time to leave. We drove and got some snacks for the night and I gently prompted him to give our spot a second chance. As we drove up again, the sun was setting over the mountains and our spot was being used for a couple’s photoshoot. After that last brief wait, we walked over to the tree that we sat under the previous fall. He handed me my last gift which was a journal that he had written a letter to me in. The letter ended with him asking me to be his partner in this life. In moments he was down on one knee and we were the happiest people on that mountain.

For the proposal I planned on bringing Liz to the place we started dating. I spent a while leaving subtle hints that we should go camping for her birthday. I booked a spot that was familiar to her and strategically close to where it all started. We celebrated her birthday together and headed off on our camping adventure. Took a little day trip to Roanoke and visited the Mill Mountain Zoo (definitely worth the visit) and stopped by Natural Bridge for the views. On the car ride home I could tell she was a little upset, and I knew expected to be wearing a ring that night. Little did she know, by that time the next day she would be! For the second day of the trip, I planned a hike to tire us all out. Then I planned to visit a nearby lake. We hiked, and as predicted we returned, tired and sweaty. I may have accidentally given away the mission of the day by insisting we shower before we go swimming but it was worth the risk. I planned out that we would make a “wrong turn” and end up at Raven’s Roost, our spot. As we pulled into the parking lot my heart dropped as it was completely full and there were people everywhere. We walked out to look at the tree that stands at the overlook and there was a whole wedding party standing there. What luck! A wedding on the day and time of my proposal. I stood and talked to Liz about all the events that lead us back to this spot and we patiently waited for the opportune moment. As the wedding moved along, more people in formal clothes began to arrive. Another officiant exited his car and before my very eyes a second wedding began, back to back with the first. We took that as a sign to get food and return. By the time we got back the sky had turned beautiful and it began to get cold. In the moment I took it as a bad joke, having not 1, but 2 weddings interrupt my proposal to the love of my life. Looking back now it turned out perfectly, love has a weird way of working things out.