Zach proposed  in Bay View, Michigan on the third of July. My family has a cottage there that has been around for over 100 years and this little piece of heaven is close to our hearts! In fact, my parents were engaged on the front porch on the very same weekend years ago.

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Zach took me for a walk before dinner on July 3rd and we watched the sunset from a rocking swing on the bluff. After a fatefully romantic conversation, he walked me a bit closer to the water and got down on one knee and spoke those four unforgettable words: "Will you marry me?”

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One of the things I love most about my fiancé is his charismatic nature. I wouldn’t use the word nervous to describe his demeanor in this moment – I suppose vulnerable is the closest fit. In this moment, I was so overwhelmed with joy and emotion that I immediately began crying. Truth be told, Zach asked me three times before I could proclaim the word: "YES!”

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It was a perfectly intimate and private moment followed by a burst of applause and screams. Onlookers watching the sunset had stayed to witness the proposal and were cheering from afar. Zach grabbed my hand, held it high and shouted back “She said Yes!”

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We held hands as we headed back to the cottage to  pop pink champagne with family and enjoy the night. Celebrations continued the next day with the 4th of July parade and fireworks. Sparks were flying!

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XO, Caitlin