Cory recalled when he first knew she was the one. “I think the first time that I realized there was something different with her was only several weeks after we’d first met. When anyone asked me how things were going at my new job, I used to describe how much I loved it, and loved my coworkers, and how great everything was going. I thought that was all true. But a few weeks after starting, I went in for a Monday at work to find Brynne had taken the day off. And that day was so different than any day I’d had before. The job was okay, but it wasn’t that great, and as far as the coworkers went, I barely said a word to any of them that day. I realized I hadn’t loved my job, or loved my coworkers. I just loved seeing and talking with Brynne every day.”

At the time they first met, Brynne had been engaged. But as her and Cory’s friendship unfolded and she got to know him, “I rediscovered parts of myself that were pretty buried in a general pursuit of adulthood (college, get a job, get married…) that were beautiful and inspiring and made me feel alive.” She ended her relationship because “there was just something in my gut that told me that choosing myself and an uncertain future was the right thing to do. Afterward, it took very little time to realize that something was pointing me toward the one, who was Cory.”

“When she told me that her previous engagement was getting called off was the first time I’d ever felt literally weak in the knees, and had to sit down, overwhelmed that things might become reality,” Cory said. “I think at that point I was already there, but after we said we loved each other for the first time, I told myself I didn’t want a single day to go by ever again when I didn’t tell her.”

We actually have two proposal stories because we both proposed to one another,” Brynne explained. “I proposed first on July 2. I knew Cory had been designing my ring with a jeweler online for quite some time, so I’d asked him generally what metal had been used so I could get a ring to match. I found one with a carved pattern that is meant to look like waves. We went to breakfast at JavaHouse on Mormon Trek in Iowa City, which is one of our favorite lazy weekend rituals. We were sitting on the patio outside and I pulled out the ring and read this to him:

“As you know, water has been very important and held a lot of significance throughout my life. No matter what’s been thrown my way, water has been an important escape that I can turn to. Whether it’s through tears and sweat or simply being near a body of water, I find some sort of release and sense of self there. So, it should come as no surprise that I see many of my favorite things about water in you.

“Falling in love with you has felt like coming home the whole way through. Your depth and adventurous spirit inspire my mind. You put me at ease in the same way that swimming always has. I feel calmest when I can see a path to follow, you provide warm, soft currents to follow in many directions, reminding me to stop being frozen in fear and start exploring again. I never realized that life could feel so full, but all I needed was someone that was unpredictable, adventurous, and sexy as hell.

“I wanted to ask you to be mine forever with something that was symbolic of this. When you look at the wave pattern on this ring, I hope you’ll remember that my love for you is as infinite as the horizon. I want to ride through all storms, currents, and seas by your side and swim in the ocean that is you for the rest of my life. I love you so much, Cory Skeers. Will you marry me?”

He proposed the day my ring arrived, which was July 21. I had been on campus at work that day and he works from home. When I got home, things seemed pretty usual. He helped me unpack my bag and kissed me hello. We’d been planning on getting together with our friends for dinner that night, but they’d needed to reschedule. As such, I asked him what he wanted to do for dinner and he kind of just shrugged, so I assumed we’d stay in. I went upstairs to change and he asked if I wanted to see what was in his nightstand. This made me laugh because he’d been telling me to stay away from his nightstand for months and so I knew it was likely proposal-related. I told him that was up to him when I saw what was there. He pulled out a leather bound journal, explaining that he’d bought it in 2014 and had been writing to me in it ever since then (this was currently 2022!). He read the first entry which explained that he planned to write to me in the book and eventually give it to me, then he turned to the last page and read it which was his proposal to me. He got down on one knee and pulled out the ring and asked me to be his wife. The most beautiful and amazing detail in the world was that he’d designed the band of the ring to mimic waves also, so we kind of coordinated without intending to at all.” Keep scrolling to see both of their rings!

“After 10 years together, it’s been a long time coming, so we’re ready to dance and have a great time,” Brynne said about their wedding day.