Ashley Taylor & John Huschilt

John, of Ontario, Canada, met Florence, South Carolina, native Ashley during a church camping trip in April 2012. While gearing up for a hike, he offered to carry some of her load, so she jokingly tucked her five-pound dog Toby into his backpack. Running with it (literally), John took off with the precious cargo for a game of chase with Ashley, secretly hoping the playful banter would start a spark. His planned worked: once back in Charleston, the pair soon started dating. On a fall day six months later, John suggested they visit Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. There, on the arching white bridge, he proposed. After saying “Yes!” to the proposal, Ashley was surprised to hear a burst of applause. A crowd of onlookers from an on-site wedding rehearsal had gathered to watch the romantic proposal play out. How’s that for good karma? The couple will head back to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens June 8, 2013 to marry.

Clay Austin Photography