We're Getting Married!

Love is a funny thing—not in a laughing kind of way, but in a curious, unexpected way. You never quite know when it will find you, even if it’s been right under your nose all along. Mikayla and I met at a fine dining restaurant near Pewaukee Lake—some of you may know it as Artisan 179. It was her very first day, beautiful and sunny. The lake shimmered through the front windows, with the sun casting a blinding glow until it finally dipped below the horizon. As I began my shift, a young woman walked in wearing the restaurant uniform—though, in my opinion, she was far too cute for it. As we were being introduced, I couldn’t see her face at first, just her silhouette framed by the light, almost like there was a glow around her—as if God had cast a heavenly veil over something truly special. That moment marked the beginning of a wild and wonderful adventure. We quickly became close friends—flirting, talking, sharing advice, and helping each other find our way in life. For about a year, we kept the feelings we had for each other close to our hearts. Then one day, we decided to plan a trip. Mikayla had never been to Disney, and it had always been a dream of hers. So I thought, why not take a week-long trip with a coworker? What could possibly go wrong? We both had the same thought: worst case, it goes terribly and we book a flight back home or best case, we enjoy each other's company in one of our now favorite places, the sunshine state! As it turned out, it couldn’t have been more perfect. That trip brought out all the feelings we’d quietly nurtured over the past year at Artisan. There was adventure, spontaneity, and pure joy in every moment. I could say that’s where our love truly began—but the truth is, I find more to love in this woman every single day. Thank you for being part of our journey. If you’ve read this far, we hope you’ll be part of our lives for as long as we’re blessed to live them.

Just before leaving for a much-anticipated trip to Scottsdale with friends, Robby suggested we carve out some time for a quiet date night—just the two of us and, of course, Brooks, my sweet dog who always gets upset when he sees the suitcases come out of storage. Knowing how much Brooks means to me, Robby planned an evening walk at Mitchell Park, right next to our church, followed by a dinner date. It was his thoughtful way of making sure we had a little time together before the excitement of group travel. The day was cold, damp, and definitely not my ideal weather. I half-joked about canceling the park date, mostly wanting to stay warm and cozy. To top it off, Robby, who’s never late, was running behind. What I didn’t know was that he’d spent the day setting up something incredibly special. And as fate would have it, our church happened to be hosting a "Meet the Pastors" event that afternoon in the very same park—so a few of our church friends got a sneak peek at the setup, wondering, Wait... is someone proposing? Still, Robby finally picked me up and gently insisted we make sure Brooks gets his quality park time. I agreed—though I definitely said something like, “Okay, but let’s make it quick. I’m freezing!” When we arrived, he subtly tried to guide me toward a specific path. I, of course, unknowingly veered in a different direction—classic me. Meanwhile, he was texting on his phone, which felt a little off since he’s always so present when we’re together. I had no idea he was trying to help our photographer adjust on the fly. Then, right there, Robby paused, took my hands, and looked at me with that familiar, steady kind of love—the kind that makes you feel completely known and completely safe. And then, in one heart-stopping moment, he dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him. I was completely stunned. The words, the ring, the way he looked at me—it all took my breath away. I said yes through happy tears, barely able to believe what was happening. Later, over dinner, I asked him to tell me everything he’d said all over again—because in that moment, all I could feel was the rush of love and the certainty that this was the beginning of forever. I’m not going to lie, the second I saw that ring, I think I blacked out! Our amazing photographer, Lindsey, captured the moment perfectly—despite my spontaneous detour. Afterward, she turned to Robby and said, “Don’t you want to show her what you had planned?” That’s when I learned about the plan. Robby had set up a white canopy adorned with rose petals and twinkle lights, powered by a generator he had rented just for the evening. My heart sank a little—and then swelled. Suddenly everything made sense: the timing, the phone, his sweet insistence. And all I could feel was overwhelming gratitude for the man I'm going to marry. Things didn’t go exactly as planned—but somehow, that made it even more perfect. Because life isn’t about perfect moments—it’s about the love, intention, and laughter woven in between. And that’s exactly the kind of life we can’t wait to build together.