How We Met – by Taylor: We were high school sweethearts… he was the cute senior boy and with just one look and I had fallen in love! He was tall, had a great smile, captain of the basketball team, smart, funny, and did I mention cute?!
After we got to know each other a little and texting here and there he asked me out on a date and I was SO anxious. We went to the movies, shared a icee (that I took one sip of cause I was so nervous) and that was that. I was getting worried cause he didn’t try and hold my hand or anything. Then after the movie got over it was cold outside as we were walking to the car and he put his arm around me and I about lost it! Butterflies galore! It’s so amazing that that day almost 7 years ago is where our journey began. Now we have been through so much together and on August 27th, 2016 we will complete the next step in our journey and become husband and wife!
how they asked – by Taylor: May 8th, 2015 my life changed forever. My best friend asked for my hand in marriage and I couldn’t have been more happy and surprised. It all started with waking up the day after my birthday and Jayko still laying in bed when he was supposed to be at work! I woke up and panicked! I was like “OMG JAYKO what are you doing? You need to be at work!” He was like “SURPRISE! I took the day off and I am going to go into town and when I get back we’re going to Sunriver for the weekend, so get ready and pack a bag!” I was seriously SO excited especially because we had never been there together!
We stopped and got snacks, drinks, and started the 3 hour drive! I was having so much fun dancing, singing, and talking the whole way up! I kept thinking how this seriously couldn’t get any better! As we arrived at Sunriver we parked and were trying to find where to get the house keys for the cabin! Aaron, one of Jayko’s best friends had his bachelor party there the year before and so Jayko called him and asked him where to get the keys! About 20 minutes later he finally got the keys and off we were on the little roads of Sunriver for our cabin! As we pulled in I was like “HOLY COW” it was a huge cabin especially just for the two of us! I ran to the door and opened it….out popped a handful of my best friends yelling “SURPRISE.”
I dropped my purse and tears were flowing! I had NO idea! Especially since I was texting my best friend Kendra all day and she was hiding it GOOD! It was decorated SO cute with streamers everywhere, a 21 sign, cute little gifts galore and all of my favorite people! I was so shocked, Jayko wasn’t really a planner. He is just the type of guy that goes with the flow and lets things happen. So the fact that he did all of this was INSANE to me! Especially since I didnt find out or no one leaked the secret! THEN I thought to myself like WOW now THIS can’t get better! We partied all night (it’s my 21st what else would we do?)
Then the next day everyone got all dressed up and we went to see all the little shops in Sunriver! We just hung out and got lunch and relaxed until dinner. Sooooooo this is where is starts to happen. We went to dinner at a little restaurant in the Sunriver Plaza. It was SO good! Great food and drinks! Everyone was just laughing and having the best time! Later on I went to the restroom and came back to the table and Jayko was gone. I asked where he went and Aaron had said that he went to let Derek and Candice (two of our friends that couldn’t come til that day) into the house since they didnt have a key. I thought nothing. It was totally believable. We then sat there for a good 45 minutes and just talked…Jayko still wasn’t back. He called and said to just meet him back at the house because Derek and Candice had already eaten and weren’t hungry! Then we all CRAMMED into the car and headed back! Jayko told everyone they were hanging out back so just come there. I had my purse in hand and a left over box in the other. Kendra looked at me and said “Oh I’ll take that!” I was like “Oh no I got it” And she was like “Just trust me”
I gave her my purse and leftover box and didn’t really think to much of it…We started walking to the back of the cabin and I start to see a couple white lanterns blowing in the wind but STILL nothing occurred to me. I mean it was my birthday weekend? So I thought maybe it was just decorations or something?
THEN….I saw Jayko standing there just smiling and his actions were so different then normal. Swaying back and forth and tapping his heels. One of our favorite songs “I’m Lost Without You” by Blink 182 started playing and I then realized what this was.
I immediately start to cry and tears are streaming down my face. I walked towards him and saw he was getting emotional as well. He said the sweetest things I have ever heard and his voice was trembling. I was shaking with anxiousness and then he dropped onto one knee and opened the box.
I have never seen something so beautiful in my entire life. I had always known the ring I wanted but it didn’t exist. Jayko got my ring custom made and it exceeded all my expectations by 100%. I of course said “YESSSSSS” and then we just hugged and kissed and cried for a solid 10 minutes.
I couldn’t believe after 6 ½ years that it happened. I get to marry the man of my dreams. After we were officially engaged I turned around and all of my best friends were standing there, most of them crying. It was so special to me that they could all share this experience with me and to see all the love and how happy they were for us was an unforgettable feeling.
That wasn’t it, I saw Dawn who is my friend but also an AMAZING photographer that was creeping behind a tree and captured the whole thing. And up in the 2nd story of the house hanging out the window was her fiance Thomas getting it all on video. Words cannot express the love and gratitude I felt on this night. All my dreams came true and now I am officially going to be Mrs. Beagle August 27, 2016!
how they asked – by Jayko: I had a blast setting up the proposal. I wanted to make it a special moment for her and for us. Something to remember, even if it only lasted a short while. I was so nervous, I didn’t think I would be, but I was. But as soon as I saw her come around the corner… How beautiful and incredible she is… I didn’t have a single doubt she was the one I wanted to be with, forever.
Photography by Dawn Photography