J U LY T W E N T Y - F I F T H T WO T H O U S A N D A N D T W E N T Y
n i ll o C and e k oo Br
Collin & Brooke • 1
Meet
2 • july twenty-fifth
the
Couple
Brooke Basher B I RT H D AT E
July 20, 2000 H O M E TOW N
Lincoln, California E D U C AT I O N
Brigham Young University — Idaho, Elementary Education DREAM CAR
1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible D R E A M VA C AT I O N
Greece
FAVO R I T E I C E C R E A M F L AVO R
Graham Cracker
Collin Willes B I RT H D AT E
November 5, 1997 H O M E TOW N
Glendora, California E D U C AT I O N
Brigham Young University — Idaho, Business Marketing DREAM CAR
YT Jeffsy
D R E A M VA C AT I O N
Costa Rica
FAVO R I T E I C E C R E A M F L AVO R
Cookies 'n' Cream
Collin & Brooke • 3
Interview W H AT W E R E YO U R F I R S T IMPRESSIONS?
Him: She was super cute and seemed like she would be fun to hang out with. Her: When I first met Collin, I thought he was super good looking, but pretty lazy. However, as I got to know him, I found out that my first assumptions of him were false; he is a hard worker and extremely generous. W H AT D I D YO U D O O N YO U R F I R S T D AT E ?
Him: We went to a stand up comedy event on campus and then went to get churros at some churro place. Her: When Collin first asked me on a date, I was super excited and nervous. I had been itching to 4 • july twenty-fifth
go out with him for a while. We went on a double date to stand up comedy at BYUI. Collin’s friend from his home ward was participating in the show and we went to support. Afterwards, we got churros and ice cream. W H O I N I T I AT E D T H E F I R S T KISS?
Him: Brooke did. Unlike saying I love you first, she couldn't keep herself from kissing me. Her: I would say it was pretty mutual, but I kind of initiated it. The day we had our first kiss, Collin had plans to take me to the telescope on the school campus to look at the stars and the moon. It was a great idea, but it ended up being closed! Instead, we walked around campus that evening. He wanted to kiss me so bad, I could
tell, but he wasn’t going to do anything because he was sick. So, I definitely encouraged our first kiss that night. After we kissed he said, “that was a mistake!” … so romantic. W H O WA S T H E F I R S T TO S AY " I L OV E YO U " ?
Him: I did. Only to later find out she wasn’t going to say it until I said it, but she wanted to say it first. Girls and their games... Her: Collin was the first to say it. Before he truly said it, I would catch him saying it a couple times on accident. One day, he was dropping me off somewhere and when I climbed out of the car he said, “bye, love you — oh shoot!” and drove away.
W H AT ' S T H E M O S T INTERESTING/SURPRISING T H I N G YO U ' V E L E A R N E D ?
Him: I learned that if she stays up too late, she has these random laughing fits where you can say the dumbest thing and she will find it hysterical and will not be able to stop laughing. Her: Collin is surprisingly a great online shopper. He definitely spends more time shopping than I do. He shops for a great variety of things. One moment he would be looking at sailboats and the next, he is shopping for chickens. W H AT I S A FAVO R I T E M E M O RY ?
Him: My favorite memory was when we went on a sunrise hike at R mountain and then got all you can eat french toast at kneaders.
Her: One of my favorite memories with Collin was on my birthday last year. We went on a long hike to Palisades Lake. The lake was filled with clear blue water from the melted snow; it was gorgeous and a lot of fun. W H AT D O YO U L OV E M O S T A B O U T E A C H OT H E R ?
Him: I love a lot of things about her, but probably her genuine concern for others. Her: I love many things about Collin, but one of my favorite things about him is how honest he is. W H E N D I D YO U K N OW YO U ' D F O U N D " T H E O N E "?
Him: It crossed my mind around November and then I was 100% sure in January.
Her: Collin first told me that he wanted to marry me at the end of last year when I was living in the Dominican Republic. It hit me like a ton of bricks; I was silent for a minute before I could say anything back to him. After he told me, I started thinking about it more seriously. By January of this year, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. W H AT ' S N E X T ?
Him: Finish up school and hopefully get far away from Rexburg winters. Her: Well, we're hoping to head to Cancun for the honeymoon! Then, Collin and I are planning to finish up school by the end of next year. After that, we will see where life takes us!
Collin & Brooke • 5
The Proposal A S TO L D B Y T H E B R I D E
In January of this year, Collin and I decided to get married. We were excited and anxious to get started and of course the first step was to get a ring. So, we went ring shopping at a few places. When I finally found a ring I liked, I thought that I would for sure get engaged soon. I was wrong. Weeks went by and Collin never popped the question… he would occasionally tease me about having the ring and even told me where it was in his room. His taunting never really came to an end until he proposed. One day, he asked me out on a date for ice cream and seemed quite anxious about it. The night before our date, I guessed the hour of the day he would propose (and I got it right). So I really wasn’t surprised the next day when he took me to Nature park after we got ice cream. Earlier, he had dug a pathway and stairs in the snow. He led me down the path. Along the way, there were pictures of us from our past adventures hanging in the trees. At the end of the path was this circular opening with lights hanging in the trees. Collin asked me to marry him, and I said yes. Such a happy day.
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A S TO L D B Y T H E G RO O M
So we began to entertain the idea of getting married at the beginning of this past January. So we went ring shopping a couple of times and Brooke finally found a ring that she liked by the end of January. So I went and picked it up at the beginning of February. I don’t know if she ever believed me that I actually had the ring. Some days I told her exactly where I had it in my room and invited her to go look at it and other days I told her it was still at the jewelers. Anyways after like 2 weeks of that, I could tell she was getting a little fed up with me and my games. So I decided to finally propose. I was going to wait another couple of weeks but I didn’t. So I decided to propose at the Rexburg Nature Park where we went to feed ducks a couple of times before. I used some candles and printed out some pictures of us to light up one of the walkways. At the end of the path I had a bunch of little lights strung up and I proposed right there. It was pretty cool.
Collin & Brooke • 7
? t i d i a Who s G U E S S W H I C H S TAT E M E N T S W E R E M A D E B Y T H E B R I D E O R G RO O M :
1. I prefer vegetables over fruit. 2. My nickname was “funsize” in fifth grade. 3. I have never broken a bone. 4. One summer, I passed out and chipped my two front teeth. 5. When I was four years old, I ate hotdogs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 6. I like the smell of dirt. 7. I was student of the month in middle school. 8. I fell off my bed and got stitches on my forehead when I was four. 9. I won the best smile award my senior year. 10. I’m possibly allergic to cats. 11. I’ve fractured my pinky playing kickball and my wrist while snowboarding. 12. I took violin class in elementary school.
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ANSWERS
Collin & Brooke • 9
1. Brooke 2. Brooke 3. Collin 4. Collin 5. Collin 6. Brooke 7. Collin 8. Brooke 9. Brooke 10. Collin 11. Brooke 12. Collin
the newlyweds How well you do you know the bride & groom?
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A C RO S S
D OW N
1 Wedding dessert 4 In what city did the bride and groom meet? 7 What state are they both from? 8 Month they got hitched! 9 Groom's last name
1 What dessert did they have on their first date? 2 Month that Collin proposed 3 Honeymoon destination 5 Who's older, the bride or groom? 6 How many months have the bride and groom been together?
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Collin & Brooke • 11
A C RO S S 1 4 7 8 9
Cake Rexburg California July Willes
D OW N 1 2 3 5 6
Churros February Cancun Groom Sixteen
Photography by Fara Smith and Adele Potter Magazine design by Unlike Juliet
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