Neither of them can remember first meeting and this is a sweet result of growing up in the same school. They have just always known each other. Their first date was basically accidental. Greg was at his parent’s house and sent out a Snapchat inviting some people over to go four wheeling, not thinking anyone would actually come. But Natalie showed up. “I remember just having an attitude of ‘oh cool, I’m going over to my friend’s house and it might be weird but it might be really fun.’ It turned out to be really fun,” Natalie said.

Fast forward four years and Greg was setting up for his proposal. “I set it all up before I left to go to Texas for racing. On my [side-by-side vehicle], I have all of my sponsors, including now Hands Jewelers, the place that I had bought the ring at. We had our families get together for a good luck party,” Greg said.

“Before dinner,” Natalie added, “He asked if we could all go to the shed and get a picture with the SxS before it was all dirty and/or broken. I walked in and noticed a sponsor sticker that said ‘Hands Jewelers’. As I was acknowledging how cool it was that they had sponsored Greg, I slowly felt everyone’s eyes turn toward me. I heard my name called out and there was Greg on one knee with tears in his eyes asking me to be his partner for life. I ugly cried and said yes!”

I asked both of them what they admire most about the other. “His loyalty and his ability to comfort me in my times of need,” Natalie said, with Greg noting, “When she has a goal in mind, she makes sure she takes the steps to get it done.”

While they are both excited to celebrate with their families and friends on their wedding day (and to see Natalie in her dress), they are also looking forward to having their families become one big family. “It has been so cool to see how our parents and siblings have bonded as we have been together. Greg and my birthdays are within a week of each other so we have had a combined birthday party with our parents and siblings each year. I can’t wait to keep traditions like these alive!”

For their engagement session, we met back at the place where their relationship started: Greg’s parent’s home. The evening had turned dreary and cold, but we still had so much fun roaming around the trails on their beautiful land on the edge of Iowa City.