A Proposal in the Sedona Desert

Tell us about falling in love with your best friend, and how did you go through the transition from friends to lovers?

Madison: For years, I loved Emmalee from a distance. After years of being best friends, I knew I couldn’t hold in my feelings and love for her. I took a chance by expressing my feelings, and it paid off.

Emmalee: We have been in each other’s lives in some capacity since high school. After college, we became best friends and were inseparable. We’ve been there through thick and thin, other relationships, and many life milestones. I knew I could not live my life without her, and because of that, taking the leap of sharing my feelings was terrifying! 

Our first kiss literally felt like a dream; the next day, I wasn’t even sure it happened! 

The next day, Maddie showed up at my house and told me I didn’t need to be scared and that she wanted to see where this goes. She knew me so well that she knew I was freaking out on the inside. 

She has always been so sure of us, and it makes my insecurities a thing of the past. 

We started off a bit rocky transitioning from friends to girlfriends, but we always knew we could get through anything because we had such a strong foundation with our friendship. 

She always calls me her dream girl, but she is really my dream girl. 

I am so glad I didn’t let my fear of ruining our friendship and other people’s opinions hold me back from pursuing who ended up being my perfect match!

Why did you choose Sedona as the spot to propose?

Madison: Sedona is our favorite spot to spend time together and explore. We had an unforgettable evening at Yavapai Vista our first time in Sedona, and I knew that would be the perfect spot to propose. Not only is the view incredible, but the location is filled with great memories and incredible energy. 

When Emmalee asked about a couples photoshoot, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to pop the question and have it photographed by an amazing photographer.

What was the experience like finding the perfect rings together?

Madison: I knew there were two places that Emmalee had always loved rings from. I met with Consider the Wildflowers, a local Nashville jeweler, to go over specifics, and then Emmalee met me after.

Emmalee: I was super nervous going to look at rings, but it was a fun experience to share together. I ended up loving two different rings, and Madison ultimately picked between them. 

I took the day off work, and we went and celebrated with a glass of champagne afterward.

Why did you choose to have a photographer at the proposal, and how did you coordinate having a photographer there to capture the proposal?

Madison: I let our photographer know that Emmalee was expecting us to take photos for a couples photoshoot at our favorite lookout in Sedona. I told him my ultimate goal of proposing at the start of the shoot, and he was great at helping me make that happen. 

It’s the longest I’ve ever kept a secret from Emm!

Emmalee: I was kind of hoping for her to propose during the photoshoot, but a week or so before, I jokingly asked if I would have a ring on in our photos, and she said no! 

I actually believed her. She put on a good show! 

What were the emotions running through you when you realized you were being proposed to?

Emmalee: I was in total shock! Even though we have talked about this moment for so long, it still took me by surprise. I was so happy and felt such a surge of calming energy and excitement. It felt like things were finally right in the universe.

How did you feel about Madison, as the one who was proposing after planning it in secret?

Madison: I felt super excited and blessed to have such an amazing woman as my future wife. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. I got my dream girl!

Tell us about your wedding/elopement planning so far.

We are torn between two totally different wedding ideas: a destination wedding weekend out west or eloping and having a big welcome home party. Whatever we decide, we hope there is an element of adventure and travel involved. 

We have been looking for vendors online and on social media. We have quite a few friends who are getting married soon, so it has been great to bounce ideas off them. We have always loved hosting our friends and family, so we look forward to sharing our love with them!