The Couple

Laura and Phil’s first few meetings weren’t exactly memorable. “I had introduced myself to Phil a few times at different parties and events, but somehow he could never remember my name,” explains Laura. However, when Laura’s roommate started dating Phil’s roommate, the pair had no choice but to get to know each other. Laura decided to ask Phil to her spring sorority formal, and the three days of theme parties now go down in history as the couple’s official “first dates.” That summer, Laura left to study abroad, and Phil’s lack of text messages led her to believe that he wasn’t that into her. They reunited at a friend’s lake house and instead of a warm embrace, Phil gave Laura a friend-zone high five. Turns out, Phil was only trying to keep his cool in front of his friends, but he actually did miss Laura over the summer. In September of 2011, things got serious. Phil was in a life-threatening car accident and Laura rushed to his side. “After an incredibly long, emotional week of Phil in ICU, he made a full recovery, and I knew that I absolutely could not live life without him,” she says.

Laura studied retail management and business at Texas Tech University. She works for Signet Jewelers (Zale Corporation). Phil studied geological and earth sciences at Texas Tech and works at CB&I.

The Proposal

Laura, who works in corporate retail for a jewelry company, is surrounded by beautiful diamond rings every day. So it was only natural that she was anxiously anticipating their engagement (especially after dating for five years). One afternoon in the summer, Phil told Laura he wanted to take the afternoon off to celebrate their upcoming anniversary. She was thinking more hole-in-the-wall Mexican food, but Phil insisted on getting dressed up for a nice dinner. He even wore his Cole Haan loafers that are usually reserved for weddings and nice events. So, Laura threw on a little black dress and agreed to the evening. As they drove to Addison for dinner, Phil kept driving while passing the area they were supposed to dine. He pulled into the Addison Airport and told her it was time to check off an item on their bucket list. “I instantly knew what was happening. There was a helicopter waiting for us for a skyline tour of Dallas,” she says. Phil got down on one knee and proposed on the runway after their landing. And come to find out, Laura’s best friend at work has been working with Phil to design her perfect ring for the last six months. After a failed FaceTime call to her parents, she was surprised to find them at the restaurant, along with the rest of their family, waiting to celebrate the proposal.

The Wedding

They will marry Saturday, April 22, 2017, at The Chapel at Ana Villa in The Colony.