Vibrant and Warm Summer Elopement

Garrett and I met in May 2016 at a garden shop run by his best friend. It was a fun summer job- we spent our days in the sun surrounded by beautiful flowers and the baby bunnies that lived under the pallets. I had a huge crush on Garrett that grew more and more as the months passed, and was sad to know that once summer was over the garden shop would close and we’d probably never see each other again. On the last day, I was working, Garrett walked up to me and asked if I’d like to come over. I was so flustered and shocked that I spilled water from the watering can all over my jeans. I was so surprised that such a cutie pie would want to hang out with me! We became good friends over the course of the next year. On July 8th, 2017, we officially started dating! At the beginning of our relationship, we both didn’t have much money, but Garrett found ways to make everything special. For our first date, he surprised me by setting up a beautiful “restaurant” in his home complete with string lights, gorgeous boho-style blankets, candles, a handwritten love letter, flowers, and a menu! He served me mango sticky rice for dinner and a delicious variety of drinks. It was in this moment that he showed me a glimpse of how he would treat me for the rest of our relationship—with intention and love. Life with Garrett felt right. He is compassionate, beautiful, and thoughtful. He is so funny and has the best laugh in the world. He values others and their experiences and educates himself about human rights issues around the world. I’ve known for a long time that I wanted to be with Garrett for the rest of my life. On December 6th, 2020, he proposed to me by recreating our first date. It was one of the most special nights of my life. We got married on July 22nd, 2021 in Buena Vista, Colorado!