We're getting Married!!

Our journey began with a swipe up on the dating app, Mutual. Payton was my first and only date from the app, and it turned out to be the last one either of us would ever need. We met up in downtown Provo at Subzero, right across from the Provo City Center Temple. If you’ve never been, it’s a bit of a process to order. Payton, a pro (having been there on prior dates 😜), went for the Bananas Foster creation. I, on the other hand, was a total novice. Not quite understanding how the "custom" part worked, I ended up ordering a plain mint ice cream with absolutely no toppings. It was a simple start to a very significant night. As we sat and talked, I was immediately struck by how Payton carried himself. He was incredibly humble, almost downplaying his intellect, but I could tell just by the way he spoke how brilliant he was. I found myself completely drawn to that mix of intelligence and modesty. On the other side of the table, Payton was won over by what he calls my "vibrant personality." For two people who had just met, the conversation felt natural, easy, and full of laughs. The date was going so well that when Payton asked if I wanted to do it again, I gave him an enthusiastic "Sure!" Then, he started walking away. I stood there for a second before calling out, “Wait! Do you want my number?” He stopped in his tracks, looking totally sheepish. In the excitement of the moment, he had completely forgotten the most important part! We laughed, eagerly exchanged numbers, and we haven’t stopped talking since.

If you know me, you know I’m hard to surprise. The night before Payton proposed, I told him my exact guess: February 24th. Payton just laughed it off with a "we’ll see," and I figured my intuition had spoiled the secret yet again. The morning of the proposal started with a minor disaster. I had poked myself in the eye during my sleep because my nails were way too long, so I dragged my sister to the salon for a fresh set. As the tech painted on my light blue French tips, I jokingly said, "I hope I get proposed to in these, but I’ll probably get two more sets before there’s a ring!" When I got home, I found Payton looking especially handsome in my favorite button-down shirt. Since we had planned a campfire lunch in the canyon, our favorite date, I realized my leggings were a bit underdressed. I quickly swapped them for jeans, a cream sweater, and my cowboy boots to match his vibe. Thank goodness I did! We went to our favorite picnic spot in the canyon, and as soon as the only other couple nearby left, we were completely alone. We realized we were missing our fire-starting kit, but we weren't going to let that stop us. With some construction paper and a pack of matches, we managed to get a roaring fire going. As we waited for the wood to burn down to coals, Payton suggested we take a photo. He pointed to a spot, but I told him, "No, that’s ugly," and directed him to the "prettiest" location instead. He propped his phone against a tree to start a video, but he was moving so slowly that I started telling him to hurry up and get in the frame! Suddenly, he pointed into the distance and said, "Look over there!" I turned around and searched the trees for a solid minute, trying to see what he saw. Little did I know, he was just trying to get me to turn my back so he could get down on one knee. When I finally turned back and saw him, I started jumping up and down with so much excitement that he actually had to wait for me to settle down before he could start his speech! He told me how much he loved me and how he couldn't wait to build a life together for forever and eternity. Finally, he asked, "Natalie Anne Zumwalt, will you marry me?" After even more jumping, I finally managed to say YES! Even though I thought I had the date figured out, Payton managed to give me a surprise more perfect than I ever could have imagined.