a day to remember

Our story starts the day we met on September 14, 2019, and little did we know that it would also be the day that we get married 6 years later! We'd love to say that we did that on purpose, but that sweet coincidence was all God! COLLEGE YEARS We met at a church retreat and did not reconnect until 4 months later when he was invited to a bible study that our friend, and now maid of honor, was hosting! We quickly became friends and stayed that way for 5 months until Luke asked Madison to be his girlfriend on June 7, 2020. Though seeing each other was difficult while living in different states during COVID-19, we made it work! We were able to visit each other (thanks to the strawberry farm ... if you know, you know) & meet each other's families. It wasn't until August that we went on our very first date in Houston! Our love grew stronger while living in Nacogdoches & attending SFA. We lived approximately 3 minutes from each other and spent many days studying at the library, walking the trails in Nac, going to church together, spending time with friends, and celebrating all of our little victories with a Chili's lava cake! The biggest of those victories included when Luke was accepted at Texas A&M School of Medicine & Madison was accepted LSU Health Shreveport's Doctor of Physical Therapy program. LONG DISTANCE Our long distance part of our relationship began in between Luke and Madison graduating from SFA and lasted 2 years & 8 months! We prayed for & encouraged each other as we both worked towards completing our graduate degrees. Absence of course made the heart grow fonder and soon enough Luke popped the question! THE PROPOSAL STORY The proposal story started long before he actually asked. Luke, D'Ann, and Kristi spent two months planning how to make this the most special day for Madison. Luke's parents came in on Friday to support Maura cheerleading on her senior night. They then faked leaving on Saturday which successfully made Madison believe that it wouldn't be happening that weekend. When Luke and Madison left to eat at Superior's Steakhouse, over 40 people helped transform Kristi and Jason's house into a surprise party. Luke took Madison to Norton Art Gallery Botanical Gardens after their dinner where a hidden photographer captured their special moment. He asked Madison to be his wife and they took photos in the gardens before arriving back at the house where the same group of loved ones were so excited to celebrate their engagement. Madison & Luke had never felt as loved and cherished as they did on that night! ENGAGEMENT Just shy of one year of our engagement, our prayers to be closer together were answered when long distance became short distance once Madison moved to Houston to complete her clinical rotations. God has blessed us so much by giving us a best friend to love, cherish & spend the rest of our lives with. We are eagerly awaiting the day that He joins us together as one & we are able to worship Christ together & be a light for Him through our marriage.