They grew up in the same small town and had a bunch of almost meet-cutes. But it was finally in junior year band camp that they started hanging out with mutual friends. In August 2012, sparks started to fly at a mutual friend’s birthday (one of her bridesmaids).
They’ve been together now for over 10 years, but back then, they had their first date at a restaurant called That Place. “I think I knew on the way home from our first date,” Brett said. “The way we talked at the restaurant about what we wanted to do for careers and about movies and interested. Also the way we bantered back and forth on the way home was the way I would imagine me and my future wife talking and I can safely say we talk to each other the same as we always have.”
Rachel said she thinks she knew pretty early on, but had a nagging in the back of her brain because it was the first real relationship she had had. “I felt sure of it all by 2018. We had been through long-distance dating, college, and a host of other things and made it out to the other side. It wasn’t always easy, but we’ve been good at communicating and problem-solving. I don’t remember when I did it, but at some point, I wrote in the notes of his contact information in my phone, ‘The love of your life. Marry him.’ Around our 9 year anniversary is when I finally felt mature enough to take the jump and gave him the okay [to propose].”
Brett prepared to ask Rachel to marry him. “I was nervous the whole day. Rachel had to go to the Salisbury House in Des Moines for a class she was taking at the University. I knew it had a beautiful garden and it would be a great place to propose to her. I called one of her best friends who is a photographer and asked her to hide in the bushes and get photos of the proposal. I had the ring in my pocket for the whole tour through the house and my hands would not stop sweating. When we got to the area, I tried to get her to look away from me, but she picked up that I was being weird so I had to immediately get on one knee so I could get the best reaction for photos.”
“Thank god I was oblivious,” Rachel said. “I can’t remember what Brett said to try to distract me, but I thought he was goofing around and I turned to him right as he was getting on his knee. It was kind of a blur after that, but he said how much he loved me and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. I was definitely surprised and of course said yes!
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Photography: Emily Crall Photography
Venue: Little Lights on the Lane
Florals, Cake, & Catering: Waterfront HyVee
DJ: Kabat Event
Makeup: Alyssa Howard
Hair: Eden Salon & Spa
Bridal Gown: Maggie Sottero from The Bridal Shop
Maids’ Gowns: Birdy Grey
Suits: Skeffington’s Formalwear
Videography: Lost Pine Photo & Video
Invitations: The Knot
Vow Books: The Paper Memory
Rings: Riddles and Manly Bands
Music: Turlach Ur Pipe Band
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