We’re getting married!

Kellie and Garrett met at their small STEM project-based learning high school in their hometown when they were sixteen. Though their school had fewer than 100 students, they officially met during a sophomore-year project launch. Kellie remembers thinking Garrett was nerdy and adorable—and feeling nervous around him—while Garrett had already admired Kellie from afar, hoping they’d one day be placed in a group together. That day came during an outdoor obstacle course, where Kellie tripped during a ladder drill. While her friends laughed, Garrett offered to help her up. She refused with a joke, and that moment turned Garrett’s crush into something more. Though they ended up on different teams afterward, Garrett was paired with Kellie’s best friend, which meant more chances to hang out, play card games, and slowly get to know each other. On the last day of school, both knew they didn’t want to lose touch over the summer. Garrett planned to ask for Kellie’s number, but she beat him to it.

Garrett proposed to Kellie after an unforgettable day at Mount Rainier. After hiking for nearly five hours, Kellie was completely exhausted and ready to head back, but Garrett insisted they make one more stop at a “special place.” Trusting him (and a little suspicious), she followed along. They crossed a rushing river using a log bridge, joking about the river’s “braids” along the way, and took in the quiet beauty around them. In that peaceful moment, surrounded by mountains and flowing water, Garrett got down on one knee and asked Kellie to marry him. Tired, surprised, and overjoyed, Kellie said yes—making the perfect ending to an already incredible day.