(sounds like someone else I know:) and so I have a really soft place in my heart for their relationship because Michael and I have been there. When you have dated 6 years…..you’re more than READY for the next step and I can’t believe I got to be a part of this amazing moment in their lives!!!!!!!

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Friday night, I drove down to the lake, snuck on to their neighbor’s property,climbed up on the top of the boat house, made a make-shift barricade of patio tables and hid.  I waited and waited until I heard Mandy’s laugh from the other side of the house. My heart dropped…. I was so stinking NERVOUS. Oh. my. gosh. I was afraid to breath.  So there I was… crouching down behind a patio table that I had flipped over on it’s side…. trying not to be seen or heard. Josh gave me instructions of where to be and where he was going to asked her. I heard them laughing and approaching the swing. The sun was setting and I began snapping away as Josh knelt down on one knee and explained to Mandy that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. I was shaking and trying not to cry.  I was trying to focus my CAMERA and not be heard….. I was FREAKING OUT! …… You don’t understand. Mandy was my roommate….we’ve talked about this moment for YEARS and it was happening!…. right in front of me!!!!!! It was beautiful… and it gets even better.

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Mandy and Josh have been dating for 6 years and they’re best friends.  Couples say that they are “best friends” all the time but I’ve never seen a couple exude friendship like Mandy and Josh.  They have an incredible relationship and just to make them even more amazing…..they have never kissed…..ever….. until Friday night. Can you believe that?! I can believe it because I lived with them and I respect them so much.  They waited to know that they were going to be spending the rest of their life with one another before they kissed and let me tell you…..that’s AWESOME. I don’t know how they did it… but they made it!

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After Josh placed that gorgeous diamond (mandy OMG it’s just what you wanted!!!) on Mandy’s finger…he pulled her a little closer and they kissed…. for the very first time. It was beautiful and once again… I tried my best to hold back the squeals that were about to burst from within me.  I felt so honored (and somewhat stalkerish) that I got to be a part of this moment. I was 50 yards away, hidden behind a wall of plastic but I was able to save that one moment that will change the rest of their lives.  Mandy and Josh!… You’re getting MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!  AHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m so beyond happy for you!! Josh thank you so so much for allowing me to be there and capture this.  I was honored.

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Enjoy my favorite moments!!! but first…. please look at this awesome instructional diagram that Josh sent me so that I would know where to go before they arrived! Mandy, you should be proud…. he worked out the details perfectly:)

Please realize…. I was a nervous wreck and I was shooting through tiny wooden slats of the decks AND the light was changing. So these were a little underexposed but b&w makes everything look better right?!

Mandy was screaming and she may have said “Is this real LIFE?!”….. actually I know she said that… and I tried not to laugh! Mandy you would:)

Love this!

And then Mandy heard me snapping away and she screamed some more… and we cried and then screamed…. and then we probably screamed a few more times.

I’m not a big silhouette type of girl but I just had to do one!

or two:)

LOVE IT!!!! Mandy you have the BEST smile….especially right after you got engaged!

Oh and ps. for those of you who have never seen Josh before… No, he’s not Orlando Bloom…. not related in any way, crazy right?!

yea….that’s amazing.

You two know how much I adore you.  I can’t wait to watch you start the rest of your lives together!!! I LOVE YOU BOTH! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!