The met the first day of college. Both of them were taking a freshman seminar made up of three courses: a math class, small group tutoring, and a study skills class. With all three parts of the course, they saw each other every day. He mentioned that his birthday was coming up and brought chocolate bars for the group. Kate said, “I bought him a card, and a week after his birthday was my birthday. He got me candy and a card with his number written inside.”

By the end of their first date, Ian told Kate that he was head over heels for her. By the end of their freshman year, he knew by that she was the one. “I knew she was the one at the end of our freshman year because I felt a certain want just for her presence and company. Over the summer, I made us matching rings.”

Two years later, Ian proposed. “We had plans to go to the Dubuque Botanical Gardens,” Kate said. “I knew that it was going to happen because we had looked at rings together beforehand and the jewel in the middle of my ring is an heirloom from my grandma. Everyone told me to dress up, so I wore heels and a dress. (The heels were a terrible idea; wish I hadn’t listened.) I could hardly focus on looking at the different flowers because I kept wondering when he was going to pop the question! I love koi, and there is a Japanese garden section with bridges and a koi pond. I figured out that he wanted to do it there, but there were a lot of children running around. We climbed up to a more secluded spot overlooking the pond and gardens, where he got down on one knee. To be honest, I hardly remember what he said because I was so excited to be his fiancée.”

Kate and Ian are both heading into their senior year, both studying counseling. Their wedding will be next spring, right after graduation, bookending a romantic college experience together.

For their engagement session, Kate mentioned that flowers mean a lot to them–and they got engaged in botanical gardens–so it made perfect sense to do their photos in the gorgeous lavender fields at Calyx Creek Lavender Farm.