Brandon had had a plan for months now. He’d been looking forward to this for even longer. Almost a week before he actually proposed he strung up twinkly lights and pictures in the shed behind Ellen’s house, knowing he’d only have to wait a little longer.

A week later, Ellen had a feeling that something was going on. Brandon had taken her out for the day and was circling through roundabouts in her college town…and then they arrived at the chapel on campus. He walked her inside and there was a trail of index cards for her to pick up and read. All with reasons he loved her. He washed her feet, a symbol just like Jesus did for the disciples. A promise to lay his life down, to serve, to make himself uncomfortable in sacrifice. But he didn’t propose. Not yet.

Instead he took Ellen to her college house and walked her into the back yard. It was hard to miss even from the road side. A shed decked out in lights, pictures hanging everywhere, a candlelit path up to a plaid couch, the very couch where they’d stated that they wanted to marry each other. Brandon walked her up slowly, jokingly wondering aloud who’d decorated her backyard. He handed a letter for her to read out loud. A letter he’d wrote when they’d only been dating for a few weeks. A letter saying that he knew he’d marry her one day. Ellen paused to laugh and cry along the way. When she finished reading, all the way up to the P.S., they locked eyes and Brandon dropped to one knee. They celebrated with joyful tears and laughter. They exclaimed that this didn’t feel real. My favorite thing was the way they looked through all the pictures in the shed, reminiscing over their life together, laughing at their fun memories, knowing there would be many more to come.

Ever since Brandon started dating Ellen, he’s been making jokes about me doing photography for him. And sometimes he’d get really serious about it, in the way that only Brandon can. And watching him propose to the love of his life on Monday? It was just perfect. There were tears in my eyes as I thought about all God had done to bring him from where he was when I first met him as a freshman in college to this moment as a man on one knee.

Just so sweet.

YAY!

So many tears!

They were both SO happy!

There was a new fresh set of tears or laughter every couple minutes. They just couldn’t believe it!

Laughing as Brandon told the story of the day from his perspective.

I loved this. Ellen looked at Brandon and said “You poor thing! You were off all day!” It was so hard for Brandon to wait to pop the question!

And this is when I got to be the first one to congratulate them and then take some portraits :]

Love this!

I told them to take a moment before coming inside and couldn’t resist capturing this one through the window.

And yay! More surprises! A lot of their favorite people were waiting inside!

Congratulations you two!