Fear not folks – though ineluctable teenage follies kept these two from a proper goodbye (see: curfews and Don Juan-wannabe rivals), they continued an online courtship over the following year. After graduating from high school, Christina took a trip way up to Joel’s hometown of Edmonton, from the so-south city of Dallas. After an incredible two weeks together, with no cure for love and miss-you syndrome, Christina extended the vacation. She and Joel spent their final days at Lake Louise – the site of their official fall into blissful madness.

A balmy twilight is loaded with romantic possibility and clearly Joel was one to play with fire. One late summer afternoon, after driving Christina home from work, Joel suggested some indulgent sunning. The two found a field, threw down a blanket and then it was revealed: a homemade picnic to make Nigella blush. Once they’d feasted like hedonist kings on chicken, goat cheese, mango and mint croissant sandwiches – not to mention Portuguese custard tarts – Joel and Christina took simpler pleasure from an even of Rorschach-style cloud gazing. Both remember the evening as purely joyous and intrinsically perfect, despite the pesky mosquitoes.

Already Freudian-slipping their way to beautiful Banff for a friend’s wedding, Joel insisted on a last-minute lunch stop in Calgary before heading to Lake Louise – coincidentally their old necking ground. Christina, with keen womanly instincts, sensed something big was on the way when Joel turned off the car radio and they drove on in veritable silence. Once they arrived at their picturesque destination, the pair went for a casual stroll around the lake. Christina mused over how she may have jumped the gun – such bouts of affectionate petting were all sans proposal.

With an (empty) calm ‘n’ cool palm extended, Joel continued to lead Christina around the lake, until together climbing a giant rock. All signs pointed to a non-secret-harboring Joel, until he hopped off the rock and spun around on single, bended knee holding a crème velvet bag. When Christina’s once suave beau began to stammer, she offered her left hand as a gentle push in the coherent direction. Joel finally proposed and the fair damsel replied with a heartfelt ‘of course!’ The girl was so overjoyed she refused even a glance at the ring (secretly picked up by her very smooth beau from his uncle's jewelry store back in Calgary).

Out there in the great outdoors, the moment simply called for the bear-hug of a lifetime.