the adventure begins

Luke and I met five years ago at my dad’s 50th birthday party. For those of you who don’t know, our dads were great friends in college. Secretly, I think they were always scheming for us to end up together, but that’s a side note in the story. We kept up with each other on social media, and I would see him posting about Jesus, the outdoors, and his adventures, basically a dream. Then one day, something I had secretly hoped for finally happened… he reached out. And honestly, I can see why, I was also going on some pretty awesome adventures. I will never forget running into my best friend’s room to show her the DM. Since he had clearly been keeping tabs on me, he knew I loved to bake, you know as the “Bread Mama.” So casually, he asked if I would do a cookie competition with him (which we have since done… and he lost. Poor soul). I shot back, “Only if you take me out to dinner first.” I was testing the waters, I wanted someone who could match my sass. On our first dinner date, I tested him again with a strategy I learned from my parents (who, by the way, were really hoping this would be it). My dad always said he knew my mom was the one because she unapologetically ordered crab and steak on their first date. So naturally, I did the same, full meal, à la carte sides, no hesitation. I figured if he was going to date me, he needed to know I take my food seriously. Luckily, Luke loved it, just like my dad. Not to mention, he was pretty darn handsome. Throughout dinner, we talked about adventure, which of course was a match, but then he started sharing about his faith and his family, and that’s when I knew I was in trouble. After that, we started going on more adventurous dates, which quickly became our favorite way to spend time together. But I really knew it was serious when he cooked me my first steak dinner. This man meant business, red wine, flowers, the whole nine yards. And yes, the man can cook a steak, hallelujah! Not long after that, Luke shared that, in accordance with his faith, he felt called to treat his woman like treasure, and that I was a treasure to him. I had never felt more seen, and I knew he was the one for me. Our adventures have never stopped, just gotten more exciting. I have taken up hunting, and he has taken up hiking. I’ve also turned him into quite the foodie; he can now get fully invested in an episode of MasterChef and loves any excuse to try something new. But beyond all of our hobbies, I have never doubted that Luke not only matches me in personality, but is also the man I have prayed for since I was a little girl. He pushes me to grow and never ceases to amaze me. Truthfully, a match made in heaven… and we eat really well.

Let me keep this simple... Maddie never stood a chance. I mean, I can’t blame her. Things really started heating up when I took her out to a local steakhouse. She said she loved steak… and so do I. It felt like fate. While we were there, she talked a lot about adventure... her 14er trips, backpacking, all that outdoorsy stuff. Meanwhile, I’m sitting there thinking, “Perfect. I can turn this into a hunting buddy.” And the way she ate her steak? Come on. This woman was clearly born to eat elk. Naturally, I started to get a little nervous—not about the date, but about the pressure of securing a top-tier (smoking hot) hunting partner. So when I dropped her off, I pulled out my best move: finger guns. Hit her with the classic, “Let’s do this again sometime,” double pistols, little finger snap… flawless execution. I walked back to my truck thinking, “Wow. I absolutely crushed that.” And I did. She was obviously hooked. Next time I saw her, she brought me homemade cupcakes. That’s when I learned two very important things: She can cook. This situation is getting dangerously ideal. So I invited her over. Gave her the full tour... elk, deer, bear, pronghorn mounts… the works. She loved it. Honestly, I think that’s when it all clicked for her. A hunter, right at her fingertips. A true dream scenario. From there, the rest is history… almost. Before I got down on one knee, there was one final test. I needed to know... was she capable? Enter: 4th season cow elk hunt. Now, she had already seen some things. She watched me get an archery bull (and completely outworked me on the pack-out), and even helped dress my dad’s buck on a work night. Strong résumé. But I needed to see her pull the trigger. For three days, Maddie proved it... freezing temps, snow, tough conditions. She pushed through missed chances and close calls. By the last morning, we hadn’t seen anything, and she started getting a little teary-eyed thinking it was over. And that’s when I knew. She wasn’t just tolerating the hunting life… she wanted it. So I said, “Let’s check one more spot.” Sure enough, 417 yards, snow falling, she drops a cow elk in its tracks with my 300 win mag. First elk. I just stood there and said, “Damn… that might be the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.” And that, my friends, sealed the deal.

The engagement moment finally happened on March 7, 2026, in San Diego. They had decided to take a long weekend trip to San Diego to enjoy some beach life, explore somewhere new, and eat some good food. After a day at the zoo, they were heading to a scheduled sunset and dinner planned by Luke. On the only Uber ride he scheduled the whole trip, he was dead silent. Meanwhile, Maddie was talking away with the Uber driver. They arrived at the location, which was supposed to be a quick sunset stop. They walked down a beautiful little trail down to some La Jolla rocks. Luke had Maddie go down to the water so he could take a picture, which was not an uncommon occurrence and honestly pretty cute. He got all ready, she turned around, and there he was, down on one knee. He proposed, and she did not even say yes at first. She immediately started jumping for joy, followed shortly by a yes.

We will be sharing more information soon regarding travel, photos, our wedding party, and other details. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to us with any questions!