We first met and began dating in January 2022. At the time, Klaudia was finishing her Master’s degree, and Bradley was trading in his American subcompact crossover of two years for a sleek Japanese compact crossover. Clearly, we were both making big life upgrades.

Our engagement adventure began in early September 2024, nestled in the breathtaking mountain town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, our gateway to the enchanting Great Smoky Mountains. One quiet morning, before the sun had even risen, we set out beneath a starlit sky toward a secluded waterfall where Bradley planned to propose. Hoping to catch the magic of golden hour and avoid the crowds, we hiked in near darkness. But in the stillness of the early morning, we missed a key fork in the trail and, unknowingly, looped right back to our car. Undeterred and full of hope, we tried a new route by vehicle, only to be stopped by a wide creek that blocked the road. With daylight finally breaking through the trees, we returned to the original trailhead, this time spotting the correct path. After a beautiful hike, we arrived at the waterfall. We paused for a quick breakfast on the rocks, the sound of rushing water all around us. Bradley anxiously checked his phone, hoping for a sign from the photographer he had arranged to secretly capture the moment. With no cell service and no sign of her after 30 minutes of waiting, he knew it was time. With the waterfall cascading behind us, he got down on one knee and asked Klaudia to be his wife. And Klaudia said YES! After the proposal, we did our best to recreate the moment with a few sweet photos. It wasn’t until later that day when our phones finally reconnected with the world that Bradley saw a flood of messages from the photographer. She had arrived early that morning but, in the pitch dark, had a close encounter with a mama black bear and her two cubs on the very trail we had hiked. With only her phone flashlight and no bear spray (she’d accidentally left it at her mom’s), she returned to her car, missing us at the trailhead. We felt awful that someone braved wildlife for our love story. Thankfully, we were able to reschedule the shoot for the next day at a safer location. The photos you see at the top of this page are from that reshoot, memories we’ll cherish forever. And before we said goodbye, Bradley gifted her a can of bear spray, a practical, heartfelt thank you for a wild but unforgettable adventure.