It was a somber Saturday evening in November in the heart of Elkhorn, NE when Ashley and Matt first laid eyes on each other at "The Mark" bowling alley. Matt, a passionate Huskers fan, was still reeling from a recent loss to Ohio State, but as fate would have it, a beautiful blonde from Iowa State immediately caught Matt’s attention. After striking up conversation it was clear there was an immediate connection between the two. Ashley was charmed by Matt's quick wit and sense of humor, while Matt was drawn to Ashley's warmth and infectious personality. As the night wore on, the connection between them grew stronger. They talked about their interests, shared stories about their families, and found that they had so much in common. Ever since that night, they've been inseparable.

Ashley thought they were going to the Cottonwood Hotel to have dinner with friends. When they arrived they walked around and looked at all the beautiful rooms that were decorated with lights and trees for Christmas. They walked down a hallway full of beautiful, lit up Christmas trees and that's where Matt got down on one knee and asked Ashley to spend the rest of her life with him. He had everything perfectly planned out and even had @karaquinnphotography there to take pictures of it all. Ashley’s only request was that when they got engaged that they spend the entire night with just family and enjoy every moment...and that's exactly what they did. Matt surprised Ashley and had both families waiting for them in the cutest igloo, and they had drinks and appetizers to celebrate. 12.16.22 will forever be one of the most special days of our lives.