Joshua had been trying online dating for a while and was starting to feel discouraged. Little did he know the love of his life was so close... but using the wrong dating app. But after a friend set up Melany's Hinge profile for her during dinner one night (Thanks, McKall!) Joshua was her first match.

They started messaging the next day.

The first date was a week later.

The rest is history!

Their first date was at TOVA Coffeehouse in Lubbock. Before long, second, third, and fourth dates had come and gone.

Melany and Josh quickly bonded over their love of faith, coffee, food, sports, Lost, and (most importantly) Melany's cat, Darcy. Josh was thrilled to discover Melany watched more football than he did, and Darcy was happy to have another lap to sit on.

The weeks that followed became a blur of Texas Tech football games, Stranger Things marathons, Barnes and Noble trips, family visits, road trips, church on Sunday mornings, and endless snuggles with Darcy.

Joshua told Melany he was taking her to dinner to celebrate one year since they had first connected. On the way to the restaurant they were driving past the church they both had been attending since they first went official roughly a year earlier. Joshua "conveniently" remembered there was something he wanted to show Melany so he suddenly veered into the parking lot. This caught Melany by surprise and appeared on the surface to be spontaneous though it was all part of his plan. He pulled the car around to the prayer garden, an acre or so of manicured greenery owned by the church located behind the main building. Once there he told Melany he wanted to show her the gazebo, saying he thought it would be a great spot to do some wedding photography on the big day. Little did she know there was a photographer waiting in the garden to capture her reaction!

He walked her to the center of the gazebo and took both of her hands, looked into her eyes, dropped to one knee and pulled out the ring!

Melany, of course, said yes!

Afterwards, the couple enjoyed a surprise engagement photoshoot, courtesy of Kirsten Prater Photography. Then Josh FINALLY took Melany to dinner.

Melany and Joshua went to Abilene that weekend for a trip that had been weeks in the making. Melany thought on this trip she was going to surprise her sister, Alyssa, with the engagement announcement. But when they arrived, Melany was shocked to find her parents and family waiting for a surprise engagement party Joshua had orchestrated.

The proposal itself and the engagement party felt like an event, but anyone that knows Joshua understands his attention to detail. Our relationship entered a new stage that day and we are so excited for all of you to join us on our next journey!