WELCOME TO OUR WEDDING

Ashlyn claims to have started this whole thing so this is her take on it: We met at our young adults small group at CCV (Christ Church of the Valley). I noticed Matthew right away when I started attending this small group. But I was trying to lay low for a while and just observe first. As shy as I am, it took me 4 months to finally approach him and introduce myself. Yes, I made the first move:) After talking a while and introducing ourselves by my car the night we met, he asked me out for coffee. Of course I said yes! I was beyond thrilled! But he made me wait about 2 weeks because he was going on a trip. Our first date was 6 hours long and ever since then our relationship has been filled with so much joy and adventure! I am blessed to have met a man that loves Jesus and coffee as much as I do! Matthew's version: It was December 31st 2016, and I had been feeling called to remain single for quite some time after a few unsuccessful dates. Apparently the Lord had another plan in store. January 2nd 2017 was when Ashlyn Brooke and I first began talking. I had noticed her months prior on occasion in my small group, however, she did not know that I had noticed her and that she caught my eye. Although it was a slow start to begin our talking phase everything hit light speed not long after! January 11th is when she and I got some quality time to get to know each other (if you consider a 20 minute conversation by her car quality time.) In a spur of the moment decision that was no doubt caused by the butterflies in my stomach I asked her out to coffee. One caveat though, I was leaving on a trip for 10 days and she would have to wait almost two weeks until our first date. When I returned I was met with beautiful green eyes, a dazzling smile that filled the room and a date that lasted six hours! Everything afterwards is history, and a beautiful one at that! All credit goes to the Lord, praise Him for this beautiful relationship full of love, patience, and coffee!

Three months prior to the actual proposal, Matthew made a rather important FaceTime call to Ashlyn's parents. He graciously asked for the blessing to marry their daughter. To his joy and overwhelming sense of relief they said they would be honored if he would marry their daughter. Thus began the planning of the proposal. Not long after that call he purchased a hot air balloon ride which was scheduled for Ashlyn's graduation weekend. He used it as a disguise to cover up his ulterior motive, asking her to be his wife. Over the entire month of March, Matthew hunted and perused ring shops looking for something that would reflect Ashlyn's beauty and grace. He finally found a ring at the end of March and had it ready to go in April, almost a whole month before the hot air balloon ride! Come May 13, we both woke up at 3am to get to our ride by 5am. Ashlyn was completely unsuspecting the entire time and when we landed, Matthew turned to her while they were both kneeling and he shakily pulled the ring out of his pocket and practically yelled out the words "Will you marry me?" Ashlyn said "What?" three times before saying yes! Everyone around us clapped and cheered and she cried tears of joy, her dream had come true and now they are one step closer to getting married!