All You Need is Love

We were scrolling through Instagram a few weeks ago and came across the CUTEST engagement shoot ever! We just couldn't get enough so we reached out to Haily (@adventurehaily) for all of the sweet details. Her story is below!

How I met "the one"

We were working at a camp in a small Colorado mountain town this past summer. He was an intern, so he had been living there for over a year by the time that I showed up. Coming into camp, I was determined not to end up in a camp relationship. So many couples meet at camp & I didn't think I wanted to be one of them.

I was on the recreation team and he was the head intern for maintenance. Because of this, we didn't intermingle too much. A little over a month into summer both of our teams were at lunch together. I ended up sitting next to him in the only available seat because I was a little late. (His name is Rick by the way) I had never really talked to him much before. We instantly clicked and we were both laughing incessantly over silly things. The rest of the table did not find anything funny and generally gave us some pretty weird looks. As time went on we spent more and more time together. A few weeks in, we agreed to be "just friends." When we agreed upon this, I started to think more and more about him and about the possibilities.

I prayed about the situation a lot. I had recently cut off all communication with an ex who I had tried to maintain a friendship with. I finally told him I couldn't talk to him anymore so I wasn't sure if I was ready for a new relationship. As time went on, I liked him more & more. I would do anything to spend time with him. I would even go and do laundry with him. Some of my best memories before dating are the simpler ones. Going to the grocery store, playing basketball, and even laundry were some of our best times.

As camp was coming to an end, he got a new job in Texas that would start less than 2 weeks after camp ended. I was excited because it is only 3 hours from where I live. But, I had no idea if he would want to continue and move forward with a relationship.

Finally, on the last day of camp, he asked me to be his girlfriend. It was a little awkward, but I was so happy that none of it mattered. We were sitting in my car and I was talking about something random, and he just changed the subject and said "So... On a serious note... I really like you..." This is when he started jumbling up all of his words and I had to get them out for him. So I asked, "Are you trying to ask me to be your girlfriend?" And he said yes.

Two days later, we drove to the Grand Canyon with three of our friends. The trip was a fail. It was raining and super foggy the whole time. We didn't get to see much of the Grand Canyon because it was filled with clouds most of the time. Regardless of how disappointing the trip was, it was still one of my favorite trips I've ever taken. We drove back to Texas and spent the next 5 days with his family. I thought it was going to be super awkward, but it wasn't at all. They took me in as one of their own.

After that we didn't see each other for two weeks. It was a hard two weeks for me. I had spent one week alone before school started back up. Once school started I was fine, but he was also starting his new job and grad school all at the same time, so we didn't get to talk much.

I got him to wear an A&M shirt. He went to Baylor for his undergrad so that was a big deal.

Since then, we've seen each other almost every weekend. I've never gone more than two weeks without seeing him. There have been a lot of hard times and a lot of wonderful times, but we always end each day on a good note.

So, on December 17, 2015 I found out I was accepted to grad school. On December 18th I graduated from Texas A&M University. On December 19th, Rick took me on an adventure.

We were staying with my family in The Woodlands, Texas for the Christmas break. He told me not to make any plans with my friends because he planned something. I remember taking a shower, coming out and asking my mom where Rick was. She told me that he and my sister had gone to the grocery store to pick up something she had forgotten. Nearly 3 hours later and they still weren't back. So I was getting a little upset at this point.

When he got home I made lunch and then we left. He had his hiking day pack, a blanket, and a bag of chips. So I assumed that we were going on a picnic somewhere- even though we had just eaten. He drives me to a nature preserve that has hiking trails and we go on a little hike. Maybe 10 minutes in, he stops at a nice spot and puts down the blanket.

This is when it started to get weird and awkward. He starts asking me off the wall questions that have nothing to do with anything. He asked me what I would miss about college and then asks me to start identifying different trees. At this point, I hear a group of kids riding their bikes down the trail so I look at them and then I see someone hiding in the trees. So I start to become suspicious. Rick eats like one chip and then asks me to get his napkin out of his backpack. I ask him which pocket and when I open it, the only thing in there is a ring box.

The only thing that comes out of my mouth is "are you kidding me?"

He makes me stand up. And he gets down on one knee. I can tell he is nervous because he is shaking a little and he asks "Haily Paige Wilson, will you marry me?" At this point, I have my hands over my mouth and I say the only thing I can... "yes!!!" (I see the hidden person now running towards us with a camera and it's my sister) He froze and didn't know what to do... So he asks me "what do I do next?" I laugh and I tell him "you put the ring on my finger." He does, he gets up, we hug and kiss. I didn't cry until well after the fact.

We get home and all of my family is there waiting for us. All of my moms said and all of my dad's side. We have about 30 people staying in this massive house. It was pretty crazy. That day definitely goes down as the best day of my life so far.

We aren't planning on getting married until 2017 because he is in an internship that pays for his grad school and provides housing on camp that he shares with other guys. If it works out I would love to be married earlier than fall 2017. But as of now, that is our time frame. I am so excited for the next step in our lives!

Engagement photos by: @sydneybalusek... website here!

"Every love story is beautiful... but ours is my favorite!"