Love is my job. As a wedding photographer, I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by it constantly, and it never gets old. If anything, it makes me want more: more stories, more moments, more “wait, tell me everything” energy!
The following stories come straight from members of our own community, and they celebrate the many ways couples take that big, brave step toward forever--and the way one pair of high school sweethearts are living out their happily ever after. Some proposals went exactly as planned, while others endured an unexpected twist from Mother Nature. But every single one ends the same way: with a joyful “yes” and a celebration that marks the start of a lifetime together.
Undeterred by the Storm
"Wesley’s original plan was to propose at the outdoor pickleball courts where we met. But as he waited for me to get back from a bachelorette trip, a crazy storm started up with high winds and lots of rain. We had planned to meet at five thirty for pickleball (or so I thought), and he texted me saying he was at the courts and would let me know if the rain let up.
"Wesley had planned for about 15 of our friends to be a part of the proposal, so they were all waiting in their cars at the park. Finally, he called it and sent a message out to everyone to meet at his house in Richardson, where he would propose instead. He texted me separately and told me to invite my friends to his place for a game night. That’s what I thought I was walking into when I got to his house.
"When I arrived, Wesley opened the door, revealing a candlelit living room with a beautiful vase of roses. He brought me inside, got down on his knee, said the sweetest proposal, and pulled out the gorgeous engagement ring I had picked out about a month before. I don’t remember the exact words, but I remember feeling so treasured and cared for by what he said. I was so excited to say yes! And when I did, our friends who had been hiding around the house cheered and popped out to surprise me with congratulations!" - Abby Davis
The Adventure of a Lifetime
Our love story didn’t begin with a rom-com moment—it started in high school, with two kids who had no idea they were signing up for a lifetime adventure. Nearly 30 years later, here we are… still choosing each other, still laughing, and still building dreams together.
We became parents young, learned adulthood on the fly, and discovered early that love isn’t always candlelight and roses—it’s construction boots, nursing textbooks, and late nights wondering how it will all work out. Kevin worked in construction, I went back to nursing school when our youngest was just one, and together we figured it out—one sacrifice, one victory, and one baby at a time.
Today, our once-busy house has grown into four amazing daughters and five (almost six!) grandkids who keep us smiling and on our toes.
In 2017, we packed up and moved to Texas, chasing sunshine and new dreams. Since then, we’ve launched three businesses together—Busher Excavating, Revive Aesthetics & Healthcare, and our newest passion, Vino Lounge.
Our secret to lasting love? It’s not magic—it’s a choice. We choose patience, laughter, grace . . . and each other. Every day. And honestly? We’d do it all over again. - Windy Busher
Long-Distance Love
"My then fiancé (and now husband!) and I had been long distance for about eight months, with him living in Houston while I was in Rockwall. We met via mutual friends through our local church in Houston in 2023. I had graduated from dental school in Houston in June 2024 and then moved back home to Rockwall to join our family's dental practice, Fisher and Zitterich Dentistry. Working with my dad and doing what I love, dentistry, had always been a dream, and meeting a man who supported, encouraged, and helped me achieve those dreams was incredible.
From June 2024 to January 2025, we saw each other almost every weekend, alternating who drove to see whom each time. Being long distance made planning for an engagement harder, as trying to have all the details in order to surprise me without raising suspicion was difficult for him (like ensuring I wore the perfect outfit, having my nails done, making sure my family could be in Houston too, etc).
"Jake had all the details in line and tried to keep everything under wraps: having the ring in hand for five months before proposing, calling all my dear friends with enough notice to make sure that they could be in Houston for the surprise party, and even calling my parents while they were out of the country to ask for their blessing. He thought of every detail to make the moment memorable.
"I love museums and gardens, so he picked a place I had wanted to go to but never been to, which fit all my romantic ideals of the perfect proposal. He also planned out ahead of time for the best bench and view for the moment and even set up a lunch reservation at a stunningly romantic restaurant afterwards. Each and every detail of the day was picked out with careful consideration and with our story in mind.
"When we had been dating a couple of months or so, Jake told me he had made a decision long before that he wanted to wait to say "I love you" until he said it to the woman he would marry. He knew the feelings would be there before saying the words but wanted to reserve such a deep statement for his fiancé and wife. So when he knelt down and started by saying those three words, I instantly knew and was too excited to let him finish.
"Jake is such a wonderful man, the perfect partner for me, and such a blessing from the Lord. The answer to the proposal was easy. I said "yes" before he finished asking me, and it was beautiful! Following lunch, we drove back to Jake's parents house, and he had a whole surprise party planned with family and friends from all over. It was perfect!! Being long distance, we had a shorter engagement but made sure it was long enough to plan the wedding celebration of our dreams. We got married just three months ago and have been on cloud nine since! - Monica McCain
Our love story didn’t begin with a rom-com moment—it started in high school, with two kids who had no idea they were signing up for a lifetime adventure. Nearly 30 years later, here we are… still choosing each other, still laughing, and still building dreams together.