eight years isn’t just a lucky number in Chinese culture. it’s colin’s favorite number, and also happens to be the number of years jennifer + colin have been together before he worked up the courage to get down on one knee. jennifer + colin got gussied up for the first time in a year and headed out to celebrate their eight year anniversary. while they were away, taylor davis (roommate, bff, + best man) helped all of the sisters get things ready in the backyard. there, they set up jennifer + colin’s first three dates beneath twinkling lights and a sea of candles: a picnic, stargazing, and a movie. once things were ready, colin got the go-ahead to come back home where he led jennifer into the backyard via a candle-lit path. mutual friends rachel troiano + noah birch began serenading them, as sam ortega captured each tear on camera. after the ‘yes’, both of our families burst out of the house to celebrate and share the love. it truly was a night to remember.

— story recalled by jennifer. the one who thought she wouldn’t cry, during a proposal after eight years of building a life with colin, but most definitely did.