Photography has been a huge part of our story. Lucky for us, it has also helped to document our story! I've been wanting to compile these photos for a while now. So here it goes!
The Beginning
- We met in July 2014 in Northwest Arkansas, when I was a bridesmaid in my friend's wedding and he was one of the photographers.
- The next month, I returned to NWA for a photography workshop that his company put on. He asked me out, and we had our FIRST date over coffee, and immediately after I flew back to Texas.
- From there, we spent every day talking.
Del Visits College Station
- Want to know the craziest thing I've EVER done? I asked a boy after ONE date to fly to Texas to see me. Looking back, this could have been a REALLY bad idea. But don't worry, I had peace in my spirit, and had plenty of wise counsel around me. And a little sister/roommate who immediately made sure that he was NOT staying at our apartment.
- That September Delyn flew to Texas. I taught him all about Aggieland, took him to Meredith's Ring Day, went on a photowalk, talked for hours, and went to church and Sunday School together.
Meg Goes to Arkansas
- That November I flew back to Arkansas. We had a photoshoot with Max and Miles, and immediately began getting questions from friends and family if we were engaged. (We weren't...that would be crazy *wink*).
- Cue another photo walk. On this one (pictured below) Delyn asked me to be his girlfriend. I said yes.
- I met his best friends, went to his church, and met some of his family on this trip.
- Want to know the second craziest thing I've ever done? I told a boy that I loved him BEFORE he told me. Funny Story: After watching his favorite movie, I told him that I was really nervous about something. Thinking he knew what I was nervous about, he leaned in and kissed me for the very first time. In shock, I smiled and told him that was not what I was nervous about; I was actually going to tell him that I loved him.
Our First Trip to North Carolina
- Later that month, Delyn and I travelled to North Carolina for him to meet my family.
- We were supposed to fly in the same night but my flight was CANCELLED, and he arrived to meet my mom alone! Luckily, he fit right in with Mom, Bryant, and Maddy and ended up staying up and talking to my mom until like 2am.
- That trip we drove to the mountains to pick out a Christmas tree, went to an old general store, explored a bit, and spent some time with family.
- We flew back to Texas together. On the flight, we actually talked about who was going to move where.
Thanksgiving in ATX
- Upon returning to Texas, we drove from College Station to Austin for our first Thanksgiving together with my Aunt Tammi and her family. Do you know those family members that you are slightly terrified for your boyfriend to meet? Those are my cousins! Luckily we survived the trip, and had a blast. Cousins: just wait until I meet your future spouses ;)
- We took a morning to explore downtown Austin together, and made our way over to one of the graffiti parks with a great view of the city.
A Christmas Proposal
- Delyn and I took our second trip to Carolina for Christmas.
- The trip was a bit hectic from the beginning: crazy circumstances caused me to miss the luggage cutoff at the airport by one minute, so I flew to NC with what I could fit in my carry on. I had to buy and borrow EVERYTHING from undergarments to shoes.
- On Christmas morning, after our family gift exchange, he took me outside under the pretense that we were practicing a photo technique, and my little sister actually photographed him proposing.
- For those of you counting months in your head, it is FOUR! Four months after we went on our first date we were engaged to be married.
Planning for a Wedding
- In January 2015, I flew to Arkansas for a weekend full of meeting family, wedding planning, and engagement photos! It was difficult to plan from a distance, but we had some great help.
- We got to see each other more that year when he drove to Texas for a week, and when we met in Dallas for a few trips. It wasn't a lot of time, but we always made the most of it.
- Delyn helped me move to Arkansas in August of 2015, which was the first time we were even in the same place for more than a week!
The Stirewalts!
- We got married at Fairlane Station in Springdale, Arkansas on October 24th, 2015.
- After a week in Mexico, we returned to the states to enjoy being MARRIED, and start our life together.
- It was a an amazing and tough first year! Between adjusting to a new location, multiple emotional job experiences, finding a church together, meeting friends, and balancing relationships but we are celebrating that first year, and are excited for all that is to come!