As two Nashville natives, Allie and Joel are often surprised their paths never crossed sooner. Joel went to the same high school as Allie's brother, and they later pieced together that they were both in the crowd at the same Rascal Flatts concert in 2006. The city held them in orbit for nearly two decades before mutual friends finally did what fate had been circling: they set the two up on a blind date on December 14th, 2024.

They have been inseparable ever since their third date, when, as Allie tells it, "we were locked in together during a snow storm." By that summer, there was no question. They knew they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.

Photos by Lauren Templeton - @laurentempletonphotography

When it came to the proposal, Allie admits she is usually the one making all the plans. "But Joel somehow planned a surprise proposal, with all of our family and friends there, on the rooftop of Culamar in downtown Franklin." Culamar is woven all through their story: it is where Joel asked Allie's dad for permission to marry her over dinner with both families, and where the two of them went for lunch the day the ring was purchased. On November 8th, Allie walked out onto a completely empty rooftop covered in white rose petals. Joel got down on one knee, and after she said yes, their family and friends appeared to celebrate with them.

"The weather was perfection, so no one wanted the party to end. We all ended up staying late, and then several of us made our way to Stable Reserve to end the night with the absolute best espresso martinis!"

For the ring, Allie always knew she wanted an emerald cut diamond, and she always hoped to find it at Walton's. Both of their families have shopped here, and it was, in her words, "always where I hoped to find my engagement ring." Joel knew better than to go it alone. "He knows I am too particular and opinionated to have picked out a ring all on his own," Allie laughs, "so he encouraged me to go look at rings with him several times." Working with our own Korene to design a custom three-stone ring, with an emerald cut center flanked by tapered baguettes, exceeded every expectation. And even though Allie knew what the ring would look like, she did not see it fully set until Joel opened the box on that rose-petal rooftop.

Now Allie and Joel are planning their wedding at Glenapp Castle in Scotland, and they are back working with Korene to choose their wedding bands. "We have appreciated her attention and thoughtfulness throughout the entire process," Allie shared. "She has made it such an enjoyable experience, and we could not recommend her and Walton's enough." We feel exactly the same way about the two of them.

Congratulations, Allie & Joel! Here's to a lifetime of adventures, starting in Scotland.