This is exciting because he likes to wear suspenders for date nights anyways so he will already be dressed the part without knowing! I gave him very specific outfits that needed to be packed. “Something you’d work out in,” “Sleep clothes for 5 nights,” “Swimsuit” “Your cowboy boots and some jeans,” “Date night outfit.” I was having WAY too much fun.”

What we ended up planning was I would show up and start decorating the cliffside and tell them that I was hired by the cabin company for promo shots and apologize for intruding on them.

Jake and I have not been together long, and when you read about how we met you also realize that our months of actually falling in love happened when we were not dating, did not get to talk as much as we wanted, but just were so innately drawn to one another. There were about 3 instrumental business trips that ultimately led to us finally being bold enough to go after each other. Last Christmas, Jake was home in Michigan and I was with family in Maryland- but him and I were waking up before the sun and staying up until 3AM asking every question under the sun, laughing, telling stories about our lives, and NO ONE in the world existed around us. That day Jake was sitting out on the porch with his sister and told her he was going to marry me, that he had found his person. I was sitting at the family table after everyone had gone to bed, and texted the same thing to my best friend back in Texas.

New Years Eve Jake decided he couldn’t wait any longer, flew to New York. I saw Jake walk through that front door. I didn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. I’ve never felt knots, butterflies, and instant paralyzation like I did at that moment. That moment was surreal. I couldn’t talk to him for 20 minutes because I was so nervous, I just hid behind my hair… and finally, instead of talking, he just kissed me… and I felt every emotion in the entire world. That night and the next day were a fairytale- and then he flew away from me.

 I asked Jake, “if you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you go.” His answer, “Palo Duro Canyon.” He had always wanted to go and just thought it was the most breathtaking view you can find in Texas.

I had already planned a surprise birthday trip for Jake for that weekend to go out to Palo Duro Canyon and help make that little dream from those first texts come true. I had planned to stay at the most beautiful cabin that overlooks the canyon, horseback riding, zip-lining, winery nights, etc. Therefore, when we decided that we wanted to marry each other, I decided that setting was a dream…. but there was NO WAY I was going to ruin the surprise of the destination- even if the reason for the trip had changed. I love a good surprise. I knew I wanted to create this perfect setting at dusk, over that view, and tell that man I was going to be his wife for the rest of our life… just him and I.

I got to work overhauling the birthday weekend into marrying the love of my life. I designed and planned the alter, had it all with me in Houston but never showed him what was inside. Then made Jake help me take it to FedEx where he then had go outside before I’d share the ship to address. I spent weeks trying to find an incredible photographer that would be able to capture the weirdness and intense love I have with Jake. I reached out to you, got you in on the secret too and had planned for you and our officiant to sneak in after I set up everything that day. I found a bakery as well that would make an incredible banana nut honey cake for my “chef” of a future husband (he thinks :P.) I also reached out to an officiant, Dan, that I really wanted to be apart of our day that was based in Abilene. We got on the phone, I told him the whole story, and also all the surprises- which he was so ecstatic to help me keep going. We had to drive to Abilene for my family reunion and while we were there we went to meet him, talk about our dreams for our wedding day, and get to know one another…. All while he’s not revealing the date or location to Jake. It was SO funny being in a room where everyone but him knew what was going on! Jakes incredible mom, Judy and my mom, Kelly helped get me all set with my something borrowed, dress decision making, and being there for me to gab to when I was so excited but couldn’t tell him. Judy also planned flowers to be in our cabin to be a part of the big day.

The next morning our flight was at 5AM, and luckily with Amarillo being a small airport we had to fly from Houston to Dallas first so Jake still as just oblivious to where we were going. We had a small layover, so we had breakfast- you could just see the anxiety, excitement, and curiosity in his body language the whole time. I wanted to draw it out as long as I could- because Jake is brilliant, and knows everyone, so I was certain once we got to our final flight my surprise would be busted. We went to the end of the concourse five minutes before boarding- there were five gates, all going to different destinations and he was SO puzzled at that point. Austin, back to Houston (which I would totally have done for a good joke), St. Louis, Charleston, and Amarillo. It was finally time to board and I took him to the Amarillo gate, where I knew the surprise would finally be out. NOPE! He was still clueless… could not pinpoint at all what is out near Amarillo, why we would be going there. I cannot tell you HOW satisfied I was with myself, and relished in it the entire flight! We arrived in Amarillo and went to FedEx to grab the boxes that secretly had all the stuff for the wedding in them (FedEx was even in on the secret at both locations.) We went and got groceries for the week, stopped for lunch, and before beginning the drive out to the cabin I wanted to run over to grab the cake which in his mind was just for his birthday. At this point, I’m so happy because I knew it wouldn’t be until I got him to the cabin and he saw the breathtaking view where we were. I was not prepared with enough lies to help keep the secret for what happened next. When we were going to pay, the cashier looks up at me and says “Aww ya’ll are getting married at Palo Duro Canyon?!” His face just LIT up- at once he realized where we were going and what we were doing here. Remember how I told you I was not ready with a lie- all I said to the lady when she said that was, “No.” That’s it, had nothing better haha! But when I turned and saw the smile on his face, and the eyes that just said- “thank god because all I want to do is call you my wife,” I was just completely happy. 

What I will say is that the entire thing was a dream. It made the journey to the wedding so fun and stress-free. Everyone that knew the secret was so perfect to me in helping keep the secret and screw with Jake a little bit along the way. I would have married that man by a dumpster in a mall parking lot, I didn’t care, we just wanted to be together. But this was perfect. It will always be the best secret and surprise I could have ever planned and I got to say I do to my person at the end of it!

Note to self- come up with back up lies in the future.

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