August 14, 2017, Justin Parker said, “Seeing as how…well will you marry me?," and with my hands on both hips I said, “yes!”

A little background...It was a Monday. He told me on the Sunday prior his mom wanted family pictures taken, but I thought it was very strange that she wasn’t the one telling me that. I was working at a local college at the time and about mid-afternoon on Tuesday Justin FaceTimed me asking which jeans I wanted him to starch and press for me. Again, I thought that was funny, but thought maybe he was just trying to help me out. When I got home, I frantically curled my hair + touched up my makeup because I was so worried that we were going to be late. I stood in the closet putting on my jewelry and just had a gut feeling not to put on a ring I used to wear everyday on my ring finger. He insisted on stopping at Sonic for Happy Hour and I thought he had lost his mind. If I hate anything, I hate being late.

We drove about 30 minutes to where his mom wanted to take the pictures. We showed up and his step dad wasn’t there yet, so his mom asked the photographer (one of her best friends) to take a picture of she and Justin. She then prompted me to take a picture with him. At this point, I knew exactly what was happening. I walked over, we take our picture + I try to walk off. He said, “wait, hold on,” and as I turned around with both hands on my hips (Sasshole from way back) he was down on one knee and asking me to forever.

I was so happy + but also so not surprised because he kept acting funny all day. BUT, where he did get me was by having my mom and two of my best friends there hiding behind the building videoing the entire thing!

I was so blown away by that. We celebrated + took some pictures followed up with a dinner at the local Mexican joint, which led to another surprise of two more of our best friends there waiting at a table for us!! I couldn’t believe he got so many of our important people in one place at one time on a weekday of all things!

What made it all even a little more cool was not long after he proposed, I found the movie ticket stub from our first date - exactly one year to the day prior to him proposing to me. I told him early in our relationship I wanted to be together for at least one full year because spending all the seasons together before making a decision like that was important to me. If it was up to him, he says he would’ve proposed after just two or three months. Sweet guy.

On our way home from dinner, we were looking at our calendars and realized we could get married the following month or wait an entire year because of the weddings I was hired to shoot, so we decided to get married the next month. After all, we had already committed to each other when he asked + I said yes.