Kelsey and Ben met at work (Weber Shandwick) in 2015. Kelsey was on the social media team and Ben on the studio team. Their paths crossed frequently with video shoots, brainstorms and work happy hours and a friendship grew from there. In true agency fashion, they somehow started a very intense Nerf game in Spring 2016 mainly consisting of Kelsey winning and Ben adamantly professing he’ll win tomorrow (he rarely did). Their friendship grew throughout the year, slowing transitioning from a work friendship to something more. By 2017, they finally made it official.

I originally planned to propose to Kelsey at sunset on her birthday (4/4) at Trinity Groves. Then, we’d go to dinner at Reunion Tower and I’d surprise her with both our families. Well, coronavirus happened and shut everything down in March. The ring was two weeks late, we were in quarantine and I couldn’t talk to her dad until her birthday weekend. On top of that, Kelsey had to get tested. Thursday (4/9) the COVID test came back negative and I thought we're free! I can propose! Now, how to make the moment special with everything going on? I decided to propose during one of our sunrise breakfasts at White Rock Lake (we take a camp stove, make eggs, coffee and watch the sunrise). Then...Dallas County shut down all parks. Change of plans...I would propose in Downtown McKinney! But then Mother Nature said, “NOPE! I’m raining all weekend.” I wanted to do it asap - if I don’t, who knows how long I’d have to wait with everything going on! On Friday (4/10) I had a new plan. White Rock Lake was closing that night, so I'd do it at sunset. I texted my brother at 10:30am asking him to photograph it. And nothing. I don't hear from him until 5pm. He quickly grabs his camera and rushes over. Kelsey and I walk over to our breakfast “spot” where I planned to pop the question on a dock with tall grass on each side. At sunset it would have been the perfect picture! Well…in the age of social distancing, the dock was FULL of fisherman. AHHH! So change of plans. AGAIN. We’ll just go to the shoreline. I text Dan the new spot, and in a panic Dan texts, “NO. NO. Abort! I am behind the tree at that bench.” Too late. I’m committed. There was no backup, backup, backup plan. I diverted Kelsey’s attention with Chester. She turned her back to me. And that’s when I got down on one knee and asked, “Girly, I love you lots and lots, will you be my adventure buddy forever?” Before turning around she said, “I AM your adventure buddy!” She then turned around, saw me and said, “YES! YES!"