How It All Began

Laura and Tyler first connected on an internet chatting program called Palace. After a few years of chatting, Palace went away, but the two continued their friendship on Yahoo! Messenger. As time passed by, Tyler began having romantic feelings toward Laura. When he expressed that, she dismissed it, saying she thought of him more as a little brother (despite the fact that they are only about a year apart). They grew up, and dated other people, but maintained their friendship and even met up a few times. During this time, Tyler always compared whomever he was seeing to Laura, meanwhile she was completely oblivious to her feelings.

In 2014, Tyler invited Laura to visit him in Colorado to take a breather from life for a few days. The moment she arrived, she knew things would get better…it became clear that her next step was to move. In November of 2014, she moved to Colorado and the rest is history! They always joke that he waited 16 years for her and she moved states for him.

How did he ask?

After a few weeks of working with no days off, Tyler finally had a day to relax. To celebrate, he and Laura went out for a breakfast date, then drove up to stunning Estes Park. Little did she know, her sweetheart had been planning a grand proposal at The Stanley Hotel. However, when they arrived and Tyler asked if Laura wanted to check it out, she said no because they were charging for parking. Back to square one!

Instead, the two took a stroll down main street, browsing in a few local Estes Park shops, and ending up at Rocket Fizz. It felt nostalgic, because the very first time they went to Estes Park together, they had stopped in and bought a bunch of candy that reminded them of childhood. This day, they just grabbed a couple sodas and sat on a bench behind the shop along the river.

As they sat there, Tyler wracked his brain, wondering when he should “pop the question” since the Stanley Hotel hadn’t played out the way he’d hoped. He soon realized he should just do it, right then and there. While enjoying the beautiful scenery, perfect Colorado weather, and sounds of the river, Tyler turned to Laura and said “I have a question”. Then, he stood up and dropped down onto one knee. Starting to happy cry, Laura exclaimed “shut up!” Everything that happened after that was a blur, except for the fact that she said yes!

The Perfect Wedding Dress

As a plus size bride, Laura was apprehensive about shopping for a wedding dress so she figured a corporate store would be the easiest. Her step-mom was in town, so that was special, however the experience was so-so. Her next stop was another bridal shop who had told her they carried a massive selection of plus size wedding gowns. She was excited to visit, especially because they carried a designer she had been eyeing. Once she arrived, she was quickly discouraged by the lack of selection and diversity in sizes. She soon left the shop feeling defeated, afraid she would never find her dream wedding dress.

Laura reached out to The Bridal Collection, sharing about her experience with the other shops. She made an appointment for the very next day! Her stylist was the perfect match for her – attentive, always making sure Laura was comfortable, and so friendly. When Laura laid eyes on a lace-adorned Madison James ballgown, she knew it was the one. In the end, it was love at first sight!

Laura and Tyler, we are so thrilled that you two found your happily ever after. Thank you for sharing your story with us!

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