We're getting married!

In summer of 2008, Emily from New Jersey & Mark from Pennsylvania went on a mission trip to fix up houses with their churches to West Virginia. Not knowing each other prior, they spotted each other as their friend groups started to merge halfway through the week & were inseparable the rest of the trip. Post-mission trip, Emily & Mark kept in touch by meeting up at Hershey Park and Emily's house in NJ. After awhile, their friendship started to dwindle as they continued on with their separate high school lives and moving onto their college careers. Fast forward a few years, Emily went on to college at Coastal Carolina University while Mark went to York College of Pennsylvania until 2011 when Mark coincidentally transferred to CCU for the fall semester. As if time had never passed, Emily & Mark instantly picked up where they left off in 2008 and have been on a whirlwind journey ever since!

Emily & Mark joined in on a trip to Nashville with Emily's mom, step-dad, step-sister & her boyfriend to celebrate their upcoming college graduation. Little did Emily know, Mark had been planning for months to pop the question in front of everyone while they were there. On Friday April 13, 2018, everyone went to walk on a famous bridge called "Pedestrian Bridge" in Nashville overlooking the entire city before heading to brunch & a day filled with fun activities. One by one everyone started taking pictures of the beautiful view until it was time for Emily & Mark to pose for their photo. During the photos, Emily jokingly said under her breath "do you have anything you want to ask me?!" and Mark replied "actually, yes I do!". Mark then got down on one knee and asked Emily to marry him. After a crackling and teary-voiced response, "YES!" people walking all over the bridge cheered while the family exchanged hugs, laughs & tears.