Britney and Patrick met on a chilling negative-below winter day during college at the University of St. Thomas. Their mutual friends invited them over and the group decided to put together a puzzle as it was too cold in their opinion to do anything else. Although the others soon abandoned the puzzle, the two of them were left alone at the table determined to finish it. Their friendship grew in the months following their first meeting. Little did they know that they would soon realize that they were the missing piece of the puzzle for another all along.

A year and a half after that life-changing day, Patrick decided to ask the love of his life to be his wife. They biked to Raspberry Island in St. Paul for a picnic when Patrick turned to Britney and got down on one knee to ask her to marry him. She said Yes!! They rode home that evening overjoyed to share the news with family and friends.

Shortly after celebrating the start of their engagement, Patrick received word that he would be moving to Utah for his Air Force assignment. It was a surprise to them that he was asked to move several months earlier than expected. They took one another’s hand and agreed to take on this new adventure together. So they packed their bags and headed off to the mountains.

While we are glad to hear that they are loving their newfound home and the joy of skiing in those beautiful mountains, we were also glad to steal them back to Minnesota for their engagement session. It was such a sentimental moment to have the two of them back on the university campus of their alma mater on yet another frigid Minnesota winter day. This was the perfect parallel to that first day when they met within the walls of these arches as Tommies.

Luckily, it will be much warmer in September when the two of them become husband and wife. Until then, we know that incredible adventures are in store as they enter onto this final stretch of the journey to marriage.