We're getting married!

On November 2nd, 2025 Makayla and Will were supposed to be going to Island Beach State Park with some friends, a typical weekend for the couple of 4 years. That morning, their friends "canceled", but little did Makayla know, the friends weren't coming all along. Looking back, there were probably more clues than she realized. Like when Will washed his hair before they left and made it a point not to wear his usual hat—though he still somehow let Makayla wear one! They hit the road at 4am and by 4:05 were pulled off on the shoulder because they hit a deer on a backroad. Makayla says the more she thinks about it, if it were a normal day, they probably would have turned around and gone back home. But that day, Will was determined to make it to the beach. When they made it onto the island, it was time to release air from the tires and throw it in 4-wheel drive as quickly as possible. Once they made it onto the beach, Will was relieved; they were making perfect time. They drove along the beach until Will could find the "perfect fishing spot". After they were parked and settled in a spot, Will fished for a few minutes while Makayla looked for shells, their usual routine when they hit the beach. Before going about their ways, Will had Makayla set up her tripod to record the sunrise, something they usually do. However, she should have been suspicious when he told her to use the tripod instead of holding the phone like usual. They watched the sky slowly brighten and before they knew it, the sun was coming up over the horizon. Will felt like the sun was coming up quicker than usual, so he started to panic. The pressure was on. The two of them began walking up to the car at the same time from different directions. Him to put down his fishing pole and her to put down her collection of shells. What Makayla didn't know was that Will was secretly trying to get the ring ready, so he began to get flustered as she was approaching. Meanwhile, she was completely unaware. That's when he walked in front of the camera and Makayla was getting ready to tell him to move out of view. But that's when he called her over. After a few exchanged words and kisses, Will stepped back and looked at Makayla. In that moment, she knew, and as Will recalls, it looked like she had just seen a ghost. Then, the moment Makayla had dreamed of since the moment she met him, Will got down on one knee and asked her to spend forever with him. Of course, she said yes. The easiest yes of her life. They spent the next few minutes hugging, crying, laughing, with dolphins making their appearance in the distance. After walking back over to the car, they celebrated by popping champagne and enjoying some mimosas with some Peanut M&Ms and York Peppermint Patties, Makayla's favorites. They spent time soaking in the moment before heading home to share the news with everyone they love. Makayla wanted to go home immediately to tell her mom but considering it was a Sunday at 6:30am, no one was awake yet. The newly engaged couple spent the rest of their day driving around to visit family members and tell them the news (in which they almost hit another deer along the way...). Once they were home, they spent more time Facetiming the rest of their family and friends. To wrap it all up, they enjoyed a Mexican dinner at their house with their parents, siblings, and grandmother. What started as one of their ordinary Island Beach trips became the beginning of their next chapter together. It was an unforgettable trip down to the beach to catch the sunrise. One of the best days of their lives and a story they'll never stop telling!