Haley and Jered have to be one of the sweetest couples I have EVER encountered! I met them virtually during Shelter in Place, and it was amazing hearing their story, dating back to their MIDDLE SCHOOL days!!!!! You can tell in these photos that Haley STILL loves to gaze at Jered’s smile. During the entire session, they kept looking at each other and whispering sweet somethings, sneaking kisses without my camera ready and adoring each other with a peaceful love that is definitely deeply rooted. This is a rare find and I feel so honored that I get to photograph their wedding at the beautiful Club at Garden Ridge! Before you see all the photos of love, laughter and beauty from Haley + Jered’s Engagement Session in Fredericksburg, TX, check out their story below …wait to the end to find out about the story behind the RING!!!!!!!!! You won’e want to miss it!

“Where to even begin…Jered and I met at Luna Middle School. I was at my locker in 7^th grade and of course it was the bottom one because that’s just my luck. Jered’s locker was to the right of mine and was at the top. He got his books out one day and looked down and smiled. This became a daily habit. I would stall at my locker and wait for him just to see his smile. He gave me butterflies. He eventually asked for my number and that is when the long nights of texting and secret calls began!

We were 11 and we automatically knew we were in love…because that is what you do when you’re 11 and you’re in a serious relationship. He broke up with me every week for a new girl and I kept a diary about how this made me feel and how our relationship would last because the girl with the orange highlighter vans had nothing on me! I was a foot taller than him and we held hands to classes. We would plan our kisses and every day was “The Day!” I always thought he would kiss me. We would walk to the back stairwell and he would get all scared and say how about tomorrow. That was always fine with me because if we got caught, we were toast and let’s be real I had to catch my bus home.

He was the first boy to ever tell me he loved me, and I hold tight with contentment and peace that he will be the last boy to tell me he loves me. We drifted apart in high school. We both explored other options, and none seemed to work out. It was our senior year; I had just gotten out of a serious relationship and I prayed to God that the next person I date, let him be “The One” because I couldn’t endure that again. In comes Jered and we never looked back. Jered being the man of few words, would do silly things in the hallway to make me laugh as we went to third period. I was walking north and him south, he would jump into my path to make me jump. I would catch that smile I adore so much, and my heart would flutter with the hopes there was something still there. He had third period next door to mine. I found myself rerouting my paths to my classes so I could cross his.

We parked across from each other every day. He had this manly lifted 4runner and I in my 1993 Ford “Exploder” as we called it, because push it past 60 and it would rattle and smoke you out. I got this text from him one day asking if he could fix the cracked grill and I was so embarrassed I kindly turned the offer down…silly me. I eventually got a truck because the “exploder” had done just that…exploded. My first day driving my lifted, new, bright red truck to school I will never forget. I pull into the parking lot turning heads and I attempt (if that is what we can even call it) to park in front of Jered…I look up bright red in the face and Jered has a piece of paper held up to his windshield with a 2.7 written on it…I reverse and try again, clearly straddling the lines he holds up a 4. I couldn’t help but laugh at how quick and witty he is, scoring me on my bad parking.

Every day at lunch we would go off campus, him with his friends and I with my girls. We would get back and I would cringe because I knew what was coming…the honk. He honked at me everyday as I walked back into school. I loved it. One day I get this text asking if he could take me fishing, I was game. So, me and my best friend and him and his best friend piled in the car and went pond hopping. He got home that night and told his mom I was perfect. He called me up two weeks later and wanted to take me on a date, dinner and a movie. I was packing my car up to move furniture into my apartment in College Station TX where I was to attend Blinn and then eventually ATM. I promised as soon as I got home from that week, I would call him up and we would go out. That was the longest week of my life. I got home called him and we made plans.

I absolutely HATE scary movies and Jered secretly does too but of course that was just his plan. Dinner and The Purge 2 were set. We got to the movies too early, so Jered always having a contingency plan, diverts to the Dominion golf course, takes me down some sketchy back road to the cutest pond ever. He whips put a pen and a pink worm and I start laughing thinking omg this guy is an idiot…until he extends the pen and it is an actual fishing rod, HA jokes on me.  So here we are fishing in our nice clothes until a golf cart starts pulls up and Jered was like get in the car, we run to the car he hightails it out of there while I yell “WAS THAT ILLEGAL?” Some sage advice…you can’t fish in the Dominion golf course pond without security being called.

We head to the movies and I sit through 2 hours of watching the weirdest movie ever, while Jered has his hand palm up open on the arm rest next to me. I swear I debated back and forth whether to grab it!! I was waiting for him to make a move but was I too bold if I did?! So many racing thoughts! I finally grabbed it! The butterflies came FLOODING in as if they were migrating to the south for the winter! I felt a shock go through my arm and I never wanted to let go.

We went to BJ’s Brewhouse for dinner and he took me back home. We got back to my house and I was like well I am technically home by midnight, I’m on the premises. So, I asked if he wanted to go to the pool and talk. He agreed and we stayed out til 3 in the morning just talking! We were on the pool chairs stargazing and I know he wanted to kiss me, but I didn’t think he would, so I rolled over and kissed him. That was our first kiss! It was magical. When walking him out, he bent down and kissed me again, I FLOATED home after that! He on the other hand got ripped a new one for coming in at 3 o’clock in the morning!! What a great first impression I gave my future in-laws right!! Since then we were inseparable. That was the best summer of my life.

He asked me to be his girlfriend August 11,2016. I left to College August 17, 2016. Spent a year in CSTAT, decided it was not for me and moved home. BEST decision of my life. On August 11, 2018 Jered took me to Bandera, TX. We had planned a day trip to do some antiquing, when all the sudden he pulls off to this dirt road and blindfolds me. I was like “Oh great this is the part where you chop me into a billion pieces!” We bounce down this road for what seemed like hours until we came to a complete stop, he pulled me out and unblindfolded me. It was the most quaint and precious chapel you ever saw. He took me to Polly’s chapel. It was built in the 1800’s and while exploring this cool place I stopped to read the plaque about the place, and I turn around and Jered is down on one knee. He said, “Haley I love you so much. Will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?” and in between sobs a “Yes” came out! I gawked at my ring and loved how ‘me’ it is. We later found out the scrolling in the ring represents Love, Honor and Respect. The three things a marriage strives on.

We decided to finish our school before we get married. Right before our engagement pics, we went to have my ring cleaned. It was still hot from the steamer, so I wrapped it in the napkin and placed it in the cup holder. We went about our day, we stopped to get gas and he threw away some trash in the car. We get home to realize THE RING IS MISSING!!!! Mind you, one day before our pictures. It either fell out or he accidentally threw it away. So, cue the waterworks and the mass hysteria. He decided to look on Offer Up, for a replacement until he could buy me a new ring. Low and behold my ring for a third of the cost…in my size. When I say God is Good, I mean…GOD IS GOOD. I am A-okay if I never have to go through that again! Lesson Learned!! We are so indescribably ready to get married. We both anticipate the day and are looking forward to spending the rest of our lives together.  

When you just want to be with someone your whole life and it finally happens, when it is finally the right time, an overwhelming since of peace floods over you. I prayed for this my whole life and what a blessing it is that it is finally happening, and it is finally starting to get here! God holds onto His promises and what He wants together will not be undone.”
~Haley

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• Haley’s floral top is from Chic Soul as well as her white dress!
• Haley’s jeans are from Old Navy and her Platform sandals are from Mia’s Mirror.
• Haley’s jewelry is from a boutique called Sisters
• Haley’s Flats are from Tory Burch
• Jered’s Jeans and boots are from Cavenders
• Jered’s button downs are from Dillards as well as his slacks.
• Jered’s Sport Coat is from Men’s Warehouse, and his loafers are from Rockport
• THE RING is from HYO Silver in Bandera, TX!
• Haley’s class ring is from San Jose Jewelers and her diamond tennis bracelet is from Texas Diamond Jewelers!!