A new beginning

To clear up any confusion there may be about what to wear: The invitation said formal with semi-formal clothing in mind. We would love it if you could wear something nicer than the typical "Sunday best," though not as nice as prom dresses or tuxes. We want to be the nicest dressed at the wedding! :) We would like our guests to be dressed in dark colors (black, dark wine, burgundy, dark brown, forest green, navy, royal purple, dark florals, dark patterns etc. ). Thank you for your help in making our day a dream come true, and please reach out if you have any questions.

It all started when I (Rachel) invited myself to his camping trip in the summer of 2018. The objective was to make that man mine, and I accomplished what I had set out. And as a clarification, we are speaking of Hunter being the man. In all seriousness, Hunter became more than just the man who was attractive and funny, but a man I saw every future moment with. We officially began dating on 12.03.2018 at 12:15 a.m. I remember this because I got locked out of my apartment and returned to his apartment to ask for help. Surprisingly, he greeted me with flowers behind his back and said, " I am tired of being called Rachel's friend. Will you be my girlfriend?" Laughing, I said yes and asked for help. Time continued to provide more memorable first moments. The day we said "I love you" on 01.20.2019, our first trip as a couple, praying together, getting broken down in a desert, and so many more first moments. The more time I spend with him, the more I find each second more as a treasure. I thank God for his desire for us to love, to experience joy, grace, and peace. There is not a second that I do not receive what God planned out for my heart from the one I love, nor do I think it will end.

Oh, how I love Hunter and his planning! If you know Hunter, he is a man who will go with the flow, and I am glad he is. He decided to propose the day that I was moving out of my apartment into a lovely couple's house. So, let me draw a picture of how the day went. We finished moving my belongings to a storage unit at 4:30 p.m. I am smelly, have not washed my hair or shaved in a very long time, and am exhausted. However, Hunter and I were supposed to meet with our college friends (Sarah and Elias) for "a fancy dinner" at the Square. So, I took a shower right after the move and was still determining where any of my items were due to the move. Upon arrival, Sarah saw me come out of the shower, nowhere close, ready to be proposed. I was a wet dog. How was I to know that I was being proposed to?!?!? So, Sarah did the best she could without giving it away. However, the more we got ready, the more I got suspicious when my best friend was complimenting me based on the color of the dress I would wear, putting on makeup, or blow-drying my hair (because I don't do that). At one point, I asked her, "Am I being proposed to?" and she denied it very quickly. Suspicious right?!?? So, we arrive at the beautiful Denton Square to meet with the men (Elias and Hunter) at a board game social gathering bar. We began teaching Sarah and Elias how to play one of our favorite games, "Wizard," but all of a sudden, Hunter decided to leave the game to get drinks. We continued to wait for him even when Elias dealt the next round out, but I was determined not to start without him until he returned. I was so stubborn that Elias finally told me to look at the hand I was dealt. In my hand was the Ace of Diamonds in the shape of a diamond ring. On the card, he wrote, "Come to the Square, ~ Hunter." It took a moment for me to leave because my heart was racing. We finally go to the location and head out to the middle of the Square. In the middle of Denton Square was this beautiful arrangement: lights twinkling on the trees, the sun going down, and flower petals on the ground leading towards the new beginning. And there he was, staring at me and smiling as if I was the only person that existed in that single moment. Oh man, when I saw him, the waterworks would not stop. The whole time, I was a mess. I could not stop crying. He knelt on the ground and said, "Rachel....." Just kidding, that's for the two of us! But what he said was beautifully perfect. When I said yes, people from all around began cheering! Close people to me began to appear out of nowhere, strangers started congratulating me, and there I was, right next to my fiancé, taking all of the love in. It was beyond perfect in every way. I'm ready to feel what God has in store for us on our wedding day with everyone we love there because, at that moment on the Square, it was already perfect. I can't even imagine the emotions I will experience when the covenant truly begins.