They instantly became friends and later spent time enjoying the great outdoors.

The purchase of their puppy, Guinness, marked the beginning of their nine-year dating era. One year into their serious relationship, the couple tattooed their ring fingers with Celtic love knots, with future intentions of tying the knot.

When the time came, Josh unexpectedly popped the question during their New Year's Eve celebration with a few friends. Josh pulled Lynnsey aside, and as the countdown happened, he kissed her and let the engagement ring — green turquoise baguettes with a brick inlay and a center diamond — fall from his mouth inter hers, and the couple rang in the New Year with plans of wedding bells.

Lynnsey's family owns the amazing venue of Cypress Falls Event Center in Wimberley, Texas, and even though the bride-to-be and her mother did most of the planning for the May 22, 2010 wedding, they still needed a coordinator and looked to Andrea with Design by Sage to help fine-tune the details.

After searching for a gown online, Lynnsey fell in love with not one but two, both for under $450! She wore a formal, strapless, tea length gown with beading for the ceremony and changed into a flirty, gathered gown with a sweetheart neckline and exposed tulle on the bottom for the reception.

The 250 guests arrived for the 7 p.m. creek-side ceremony, and Cypress Falls, the event center's scenic waterfall with emerald green water — as it is in Texas Hill Country — provided a beautiful backdrop. And although their dog, Guinness, passed away before the wedding, the bride's two baguette wedding bands with blue turquoise and the groom's silver ring with a Celtic love knot design, which was brought back from Ireland by Lynnsey's parents years ago, were attached to Guinness' collar and carried down the aisle by the couple's brothers — a great tribute to their best four legged friend.

Sharing the same Irish nationality, the couple printed the Celtic love knot and its meaning on the program. Lynnsey and Josh also included the Irish tradition of the "tying of the knot ceremony," where the couple tied three intertwined strands of ribbons around their hands representing the body, spirit and mind. Each ribbon was adorned with trinkets. One keepsake from Lynnsey's confirmation, a Celtic cross from Ireland and a heart charm her parents gave her as a child.

During the twinkle-lit courtyard reception, guests nibbled on gumbo shooters, shrimp cocktail and sausage appetizers, while fillet steaks and chicken with Cajun influences — the bride's favorite — were a hit with the guests. Since the couple could not choose one cake flavor from Classic Cakes by Lori, they opted for 600 mini cupcakes of every flavor and filling, with an ivory cake topper embossed with the couple's initials.

Bruce Covill, of Bruce Covill Photography, did several events for Cypress Falls Event Center in the past. From the "getting ready shots" to the last minute of the reception, the photographer captured unique details and memorable moments of their magical night in May. "Thank you Bruce for all of your extra efforts to make the celebration of our love memorable and well recorded!" expressed Lynnsey.

Later, the couple spent the night in an on-site townhouse to spend more time with their traveling guests. The three-day wedding affair included swimming, fishing and hiking, and everyone enjoyed the Sunday brunch of breakfast tacos and fresh fruit, provided by Lynnsey's aunts. With the various activities and events, the couple's wedding embodied their idea of fun.

A word of advice from this bride to you, "Make sure to do what you want on your day!" said Lynnsey. "It'll all be over in no time!"

In late July, the newlyweds, utilized their new camping gear for their 10-day trip to the Uinta Mountains National Forrest in Utah to climb their highest peak. "It is special to us because we began our relationship hiking and took our first serious hiking trip in Big Bend with our puppy Guinness." Now the couple's journey has come full circle by taking their new puppy, Bella, on her first big hike.