Blog > Tying the Knot > #11

Tying the Knot #11

: Anywhere With You

Kayla + Kyle

In celebration of this Valentine’s Day, let’s talk about love. Love is when you support each other unconditionally through thick and thin. Love is when you have a major argument and realize you want to get married. Love is when you start with a “Hey, beautiful” and end up spending the rest of your lives together. Happy Valentine’s Day!

“It’s funny to think about now because at the time, I had no idea I actually would (fall in love with him).”

Q. How did you guys first meet and fall in love?

A. Kyle and I first met in 2014 at "Bashin' at the Beach," a concert, car-derby and camp-out by Kyle’s hometown. I was invited to go by my cousin, who happened to be working with Kyle at the time. When my cousin and I got our campsite set up, he told me how he wanted me to meet his friend Kyle, and that "he was short like me and I would love him." It’s funny to think about now because at the time, I had no idea I actually would.

My cousin took me to Kyle's campsite, but he wasn't there. We had started walking away when Kyle came driving up and greeted us with a "Hey beautiful," which I assumed was for my cousin (but he claims that he was actually talking to me). We hopped in the box of his truck and he took us back to his campsite where I finally got a formal introduction. He and my cousin chatted for a bit before we headed back to our own campsite. I was staying in the VIP area as my cousin was playing with his band, and I didn't end up seeing Kyle the rest of the night.

The next day we went to watch the car derby and met up with Kyle again. Kyle and I sat right next to one another but didn't say a word to each other. I was playing kind of shy, and Kyle had apparently had a few more drinks than he anticipated the night before, so neither of us took much initiative to start a conversation. I didn't think much of it. I thought he was handsome, but wasn't really looking for a relationship at the time. Later that day after I left, my cousin texted me saying Kyle had mentioned me, asking if I was my cousin's girlfriend and telling him he was a "lucky guy", to which my cousin replied "No, she's my cousin and she's single"! Kyle found me on Facebook and messaged me, and we talked for two months straight before we ended up meeting up again. He lived about an hour and a half away from me, and we were both pretty busy in our personal lives so we had a hard time arranging time to get together.

My cousin, who must have been determined to get us together, planned a city trip and invited Kyle. We got a hotel and my cousin promised me that we would get a cot, but when we checked into our room the receptionist informed us that our room was too small for a cot and that it would violate the fire code to have one. Long story short, Kyle and I ended up having to share a bed. In the middle of the night I woke up to Kyle laying on the farthest side of the bed as possible, practically falling off the bed and being careful to give me my space. At that point I finally caved and snuggled up to him, and that's when I knew that this man was here to stay. He invited me over to his house the following weekend, and we spent nearly every weekend together and were inseparable after that.

“Even though Kyle lived an hour and a half away, he drove out every single day that week so I didn’t have to be alone. [...] I knew he was the man I was going to marry then.”

Q. How did you know you wanted to marry each other and who wanted to tie the knot first?

A. Kyle said he knew he wanted to marry me when we finally made the decision to move in together. We had a long distance relationship for about 3 years, and at first he had suggested I move in with him, but I had no interest in living where he did (or where I was living at the time) and I wanted to go somewhere new. At first he was a little reluctant to the idea, and it actually resulted in our first ever major argument. Afterwards, he came around and said that's when he realized he wanted to marry me; when he was ready to start over and create a new life with me.

I knew I wanted to marry him in the first year of us being together though. I was still living at home with my family and they happened to be gone on holidays. After they left, I had gotten a devastating phone call that a long time friend of mine had suddenly passed away. Even though Kyle lived an hour and a half away, he drove out every single day that week so I didn't have to be alone. He would leave at 5 in the morning and get home at 6:30 at night, make me dinner, and support me emotionally while I grieved. I knew he was the man I was going to marry then.

“Kyle chose the Seraph Ring because it was the one that stood out the most to him at the time, and felt it was the ring that most represented me and my style.”

Q. Why did you choose HIDDENSPACE, how did you hear about us, and what made you decide on this specific ring?

A. I actually found HIDDENSPACE on Etsy when I was looking for something that wasn't a typical ring. I showed Kyle your website, and said, "If you get me anything off this website, I would be more than happy." Kyle chose the Seraph Ring because it was the one that stood out the most to him at the time, and felt it was the ring that most represented me and my style.

“Kyle says he was just hoping that the proposal was everything that I would have wanted it to be, which it was; in private, in our first home, with no one but our dog there to witness me ugly crying.”

Q. Tell us about the details of the proposal & the wedding. How did you feel? How did it go?

A. I had suspicions that Kyle was getting ready to propose, as he had been asking things like my ring size and asked me to book an anniversary photo shoot with my friend (who is also a photographer). He NEVER suggested for us to get pictures done, so my friend and I were certain he was going to propose on our anniversary. It was the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and I had just gotten home from work. We were sitting at the kitchen table talking about how my day had gone, and he told me he had a "project" that he had been working on and he wanted to show me. He brought out a big photo album that he had put together of photos we took through the course of our relationship, and at the end of the photos was a picture that said, "Will you marry me?" I turned around and Kyle was on one knee, and both of us instantly cried. I, of course, said yes. It completely caught me off guard (as I was so convinced he would be proposing on our anniversary later that month), and the photo album was such a sweet touch. Kyle says he was just hoping that the proposal was everything that I would have wanted it to be, which it was; in private, in our first home, with no one but our dog there to witness me ugly crying.

“One of the days we went ocean kayaking, hiking, and finished our day off eating fresh-caught crab, drinking wine and sitting outside under the stars on the sunshine coast.”

Q. Describe your romantic night or the most romantic day you guys have ever shared.

A. Our first ever vacation on the sunshine coast. We didn't get to spend a lot of time by ourselves due to both of us still living with family, and we had finally planned our first solo holiday together. One of the days we went ocean kayaking, hiking, and finished our day off eating fresh caught crab, drinking wine and sitting outside under the stars on the sunshine coast.

“Never stop communicating, about anything and everything. [...] Never go to bed angry.”

Q. Any advice to couples or newlyweds? Anything else you’d like to share with the world?

A. Never stop communicating, about anything and everything. Hold empathy and compassion for one another. Make time for yourselves the same way you do for each other. Support one another and be excited for each other's achievements. Ask about each other's days. Never go to bed angry. Always say I love you, all the time.

Arranged by

Jamie Han

Credit

Kayla: @kaylaohharrer

Kyle

Photographer: @tylynrae