How did the two of you meet?
We met working at a Christian sports camp called Kanakuk. It was about a week after we graduated college. I was from Missouri and he was from California, but we were both moving to Dallas after the summer.
Give us the proposal details! When? Where? How?
Lauren’s Side: I like to start this story with when I first fell in love with Josh. We had the incredible opportunity to take a mission trip together to Haiti with Highland Park KLife in the summer of 2016. It was on that trip that I knew Josh was everything I had been praying for in the man I wanted to marry. He was sick almost the entire trip and exhausted from driving straight from Kanakuk while also being in charge of the trip, yet it never affected the way he served the high school students, the people of Haiti—and me! I knew then that Josh was a man, that when put to the test, was going to rest in the Lord’s strength!
This means that regardless of the circumstances that come our way in the future we will have Joy because our hope is in something deeper.
Now for the night he proposed! Josh knows I love surprises, and this was the surprise of a lifetime! I thought I was going to my community group for church like any ordinary Thursday night. The only difference was we were suppose to have community group on this rooftop in downtown Dallas, which happened to be the location of my favorite date Josh had taken me on. However, this location change didn’t seem weird to me because our group had talked about doing group up there for months and it was suppose to be our friend Kali’s last time in our group, so we had all talked about dressing up to take a final group picture.
So the night began with my friends having to change my intended driving plans several times. I was unknowingly being difficult by trying to arrange to see Josh before going to community group. However, they successfully diverted me by taking me to pick up food from my favorite restaurant. As we pulled up to the building I kept telling my friends how special this building was to me because of my previous date here with Josh. I had no idea how much more special it would become within a matter of minutes.
We were “running late” as per usual, so I thought we were meeting the rest of the girls on the roof. Everything seemed normal until the doors opened at the top of the first elevator and immediately my friends fell awkwardly silent. They told me they had a video for me to watch and I instantly knew what was coming. They played me a video Josh had made for me that encompassed pictures throughout our entire relationship. The video ended with him asking me to ride the final elevator to join him on the roof. My friends said a quick prayer for me before sending me to the elevator.
At this point, I was freaking out a little inside knowing what was coming next. My only thoughts were don’t black out because I have to remember all of this! When the elevator opened onto the roof, I was greeted with the most beautiful pathway lined with candles, rose petals and pictures leading directly to Josh! I walked shakily towards him praying I wouldn’t trip! When I got to him he got down on one knee and told me for the very first time that he LOVED me. He then asked me to marry him! I said YES! We danced, and spent the rest of the night celebrating with our friends and family who had so graciously traveled from all over to celebrate with us.
Josh’s Side: The day I knew I wanted to marry Lauren was this last summer when I was working at Kamp. We were doing long distance because she was starting a new job in Dallas and one day after work she decided to make the 7 hour drive to come see me for just a few hours and then drive all the way back to Dallas. Seeing the way that she would go way out of her way for me was the straw that really got my attention in thinking that she could be the one.
Before making any big decisions I decided to wait until we spent a few months living in the same city and so when I got back to Dallas we were able to spend nearly every day to some extent together and go on a ton of fun dates. I had all the proof I needed and much much more in knowing that she would be the best wife and that there was no on else I wanted to spend my life with.
We danced, and spent the rest of the night celebrating with our friends and family who had so graciously traveled from all over to celebrate with us.
I was able to grab some time with her dad early in the morning one weekend and ask for his blessing. I was so nervous that I spilled my coffee all over me before he walked in. Through all the nerves and a few questions he said that I had his blessing and that I was an answer to prayer. This is where the planning and scheming began.
The night of the proposal I had gotten some of her friends and my friends to help set up this roof in downtown Dallas where we had spent our favorite date. We had the roses, candles, pictures, Christmas lights, it really was straight out of Pinterest. She thought she was having community group up on the roof but when they got in the elevator her friends started to show her a video I had made for her. They got to pray for her and then sent her up to the roof where I was waiting. The doors opened and she was walking towards me, I was very excited but also nervous. I got to tell her that I loved her for the first time and then asked her to marry me. She just nodded her head and said, “I think I am supposed to say yes.”
The night ended getting to celebrate with all of her friends in Dallas, from college, her family, and my family who all flew in. There were a lot of pictures, smiles, and even a few tears. I can’t wait to marry her!
What has been your favorite experience planning the wedding?
Cake testing and Registry were both so fun!
How do you stay sane under the pressures of wedding planning?
We try to have set times that we talk about planning, so that it doesn’t consume all of our conversations. We also have great support from our friends and family, which really helps.
What is your favorite part of using Joy for your wedding?
I love that it is unique it looks so much different than the other sites. I love the level of customization, but that it is also easy to use.
What piece of advice would you give couples to ensure that they use Joy to its fullest potential?
Download the app—it is really cool. Also spend the time filling in all the different pieces. The details are important.
At Joy we believe that even though a wedding lasts a day, joy lasts forever. What does that mean to you?
That is the most important thing to Josh and I. Though, we are excited about preparing for our wedding we know the preparation for our marriage is so much more important. This means that regardless of the circumstances that come our way in the future we will have Joy because our hope is in something deeper. We have faith in Jesus Christ and he is our source of Joy.
