Welcome to the party! We’re getting married!!!

We started our morning with a walk down the strip of Gatlinburg. Perfect weather for a perfect day. I spent my morning full of nerves as I continued to try to hide my excitement and to hide the ring case in my pocket. Next stop was the Gatlinburg sky bridge where our lives would begin the transition from dating to engaged. As we rode the ski lift to the top of the mountain I gripped the case in my pocket the whole ride up out of nerves and being worried about dropping it to the trees below us. When we finally reached the top the nerves changed to excitement as I prepared to ask the woman of my dreams to be my wife. We started across the bridge followed by Emily (a perfect photographer for the situation). Hannah was nervous about how high up on the bridge we were, me something else completely. As we neared the center of the bridge we stopped for a picture. That’s when I worked the courage up to turn and kneel and put my heart on the line. The rest is history and our story. Our day started off with anxiety for me. Though we had been to Gatlinburg before, we had never done anything quite like going across a bridge 150 plus feet in the sky between two mountain peaks. I was nervous yet excited for a new adventure. As we boarded the ski lift to go to the top I started taking pictures of us unknowing of what was about to happen. Now I look back and cherish those short moments before we vowed to become one. As we started across the bridge I had no idea of what was coming. I was full of nerves as we took each step deeper in between the peaks, that is until it happened. As we stopped to take a picture I looked over and saw Matt kneeling down and reaching into his pocket. I was in complete shock, so much so I completely forgot I was even sitting so high above the ground below us. It was a dream come true that I wasn’t even prepared for. Shortly after the excitement of the situation it was topped off by us looking down and seeing our first black bear that we’ve seen on any of the trips to Tennessee before. We later celebrated with a moonshine tasting and a delicious breakfast as we sank into the first moments of being engaged and to begin preparing forever.