Before we were “Emma & Dusty,” I was best friends with his sister, who knew from the start that we would be perfect for each other. For a year, we spent time together—laughing, making memories, and, on my part, quietly hoping he saw me the way I saw him. Then, one day, he did.

At first, it was small gestures. Then, without a word, he built me a surprise outdoor fireplace—something I never asked for but somehow needed. That’s the kind of person Dusty is—steady, thoughtful, and always creating warmth in the world around him.

Since then, life has been full of love, dog hair, and the kind of companionship that feels both effortless and meant to be. My dog, June, and his pups, Cali and Bella, brought us even closer, and our little family has been inseparable ever since.

On Christmas morning, with just us and our dogs, Dusty asked me to marry him. The diamond on my ring belonged to my grandmother, a piece of her love story now woven into ours. I wish more than anything that she and my grandfather could be here for our wedding, but I know their love surrounds us in every warm embrace and ways that words cannot capture.

Now, we begin the next chapter, and we are so grateful to celebrate it with all of you!