Wednesday, January 15, 2025
At Avalon Legacy Ranch, love unfolds amidst scenic landscapes and timeless charm, where every moment feels like a storybook romance in the heart of nature’s beauty.
Augustus and I met in what was unfortunately the most boring philosophy class ever in college. One would think that there would be a lot of discussion in a course like this, but it was always painfully silent! He sat behind me, and when he tells the story, he says I would always turn when these silences were too much and look at him. Eventually we started talking after class, laughing about how terribly awkward the silence was, and studying together on campus. We were purely classmates, and never met outside of school; during that time I was dealing with some personal matters and was having a hard time making friends, but Augustus was never judgemental and I felt safe to be myself and open up around him. I am not sure if he truly knows how much his friendship helped to change my life.
Fast forward: he graduated, while I still had another year to go. We hadn't become super close, but we did text occasionally and if he was back in town we would sometimes get coffee together and catch up. I graduated and moved out of state, and that's when we really started to talk more - he became the person I would text every day. We talked about how our relationships were going, give each other advice, and in general created a safe space to pour out our innermost thoughts, our hopes and our fears; we became best friends and it was just purely friendship.
Fast forward again: I'm back in Dallas and he is living in Lubbock. If he was in Dallas visiting family, we always made time to see each other. Over time, the lines between our friendship started to blur. Honestly, it was scary at first - I didn't want to catch feelings and end up losing my closest friend if a romantic relationship didn't work, and he said the same thing. Obviously, despite our fears, we took the chance and by September 2019 we were officially dating.
In February of 2020, Augustus decided to move back to Dallas, and we said eff it, let's just move in together and save some money since we'd be seeing each other so often anyway. Three weeks later, COVID shut everything down and here we were, in a new relationship stuck in an apartment together 24/7. Never ever would I have expected to be spending THAT much time together right off the bat 😂
While the pandemic raged on, we had to get used to living with each other and getting to know each other's mannerisms, and we had to do it fast. Online there were so many stories of people whose years-long relationships were destroyed by COVID, and here we were, fresh into it. Of course there was a learning curve - you like to sleep this way, I like to organize things that way, etc - the little things you just don't know until you live together, but we were succeeding.
Looking back on it, I think it really solidified the fact that well, we can stand each other all-day every day, this is something that was worth taking that chance for, and our relationship is so strong because we were adaptable and continued to support and want the best for each other.
We started talking about getting engaged, so I knew that a proposal would be coming eventually but I just didn't know when. Something we'd both always wanted to do was go camping in the Smokies during the fall, so when Gus announced he had gotten a campsite reserved for October 2024, I thought that had to be when he was going to do it, surrounded by beautiful autumn leaves on a mountain. But for my birthday in August, he surprised me with a trip to Mexico - something I had mentioned wanting to do eventually as well. A bit of backstory too - a couple years prior I had surprised him with a birthday trip to Vegas. So here I am, thinking it was just a birthday trip because I "knew" he was going to do it in October and he's just getting back at me for his surprise trip; here I am, thinking nothing of it when he said he hired a photographer because "we don't have many nice pictures of us, and the beach is so beautiful this is a perfect opportunity to get some taken!"; here I am, completely missing the gigantic ring box in his pocket when we started taking the photos; I was COMPLETELY surprised to turn around and see him on his knee, on a completely empty beach, asking if I would marry him. He pulled it off perfectly, and of course I said yes!! How perfect it is to get to marry your best friend (*˘︶˘*).。.:*♡
We want to be able to relive the special moments, especially those little ones that may get lost in all of the excitement of the big day. On a bit darker of a note, Sarah has epilepsy, so there is a concern that later in life there will be some cognitive decline, so to be able to re-experience these memories is something invaluable. We want to be able to see through the eyes of our guests, and just to feel all of the love again whenever we like, to reminisce on one of the biggest days in our lives :)
We were blown away by how gorgeous and professional the videos Topher Films produce. The photojournalistic way you are able to capture the day is the classic style we've been seeking, and seeing all the beautiful candid photos in the galleries really resonated with us. On top of that, we feel honored to have been chosen to work along side with you all through the promo being run, and having the chance to meet Michael and feel the chemistry between us makes us really excited to work together. We wouldn't have ever imagined to be able to work with Topher Films within our budget, so this is an absolute dream!
We like to keep life simple and easy going! We spend a lot of time at home hanging out with our two rabbits, Gunther and Blair, and our blue-tongued skink Ravioli, watching movies and eating way too much popcorn. Augustus and I love to spend time outside going hiking and camping when we can (aka the weather isn't too hot!) but we do also have our own separate hobbies. On the weekends Gus likes to play video games with his friends (and BOY is he a gamer through and through), and Sarah spends time tending to her ever-growing collection of plants, being creative, and watching her own tv shows and movies. For us, the most important thing in life is balance and appreciating all the ways that the differences in our personalities bring out the best in each other. Gus is very encouraging about keeping healthy, keeping a routine, and always is striving to grow, while Sarah always has a smile on her face and brings spontaneity into the mix. Since the start of our friendship 10 years ago, we have always been a pillar for each other in tough moments of life and each other's strongest supporters, and as that friendship grew so did our love for each other. And now here we are today, engaged and dedicated to continuing to grow together step-by-step through this life. I'm sure this is said a lot, but we both feel so lucky to have found each other.
Honestly, it was the first venue we looked at, and the moment we stepped on the grounds, it just felt right. The altar is gorgeous with the stained glass arch, and we loved the homey feel of the grounds and the house on site. We also felt a good connection with the owners, who really made us feel welcome and hyped for the big day!
We want them to be surrounded by love without the wedding necessarily being over the top. One of the things we loved about the venue is how many little meeting areas there are - there are gazebos outside, plenty of sitting rooms in the house, room to walk around the grounds and view the lake, and a beautiful covered patio - we want our guests to feel welcome to do what they like; we aren't planning on things being super structured so it feels more like a family gathering in fancy dresses ☺️