On Oct. 25 at the Cedarhurst Center for the Arts in Mount Vernon, Illinois, Brendon Donoho proposed to Kaitlyn Lawrence. This momentous event was the result of eight months of meticulous planning. The proposal included nine paintings by Natalie Hensley, each symbolizing a significant moment from their relationship over the years.

A Love Story Unfolded Through Custom Paintings

Proposal Planning and Execution

Eight months prior, Donoho reached out to Natalie Hensley to help him create one painting for each year of his relationship with Kaitlyn. The venue, Cedarhurst Center for the Arts in Mount Vernon, Illinois, was about a three and a half hour drive from their home in Nashville, Tennessee. To keep the proposal a secret, Lawrence was mailed a fake invitation for a formal banquet at the venue. She thought Donoho couldn't make it, but in reality, he was there to surprise her.During the months leading up to the proposal, Donoho and Hensley worked together over Zoom to perfect the paintings. They chose nine 8×8 paintings, each with specific themes. These included a fortune cookie homecoming proposal, the outside of the theater where they had their first date, the coffee cup with Donoho's proposal, an elaborate prom proposal with a piano outside, the inside of Donoho's Chevrolet Tahoe where he first said "I love you", a scene from a play they were in together, their first home, a dip kiss after college graduation, and finally, the proposal itself.

The Surprise and Engagement

When Lawrence arrived at the Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, Donoho walked her inside and showed her the paintings displayed next to flowers on three tables. It was one month shy of their nine-year anniversary, which added to the surprise. She was in total shock and overwhelmed with love and joy. Donoho then took her into a private room and unveiled the final painting. The two shared a slow dance before getting engaged.Hilariously, Lawrence had caught the bouquet at a wedding just 20 days before her proposal. Natalie Hensley, who was live painting at that wedding, was thrilled. In a "full circle moment", Hensley will be a live painter at Lawrence and Donoho's wedding next year, creating another work of art to celebrate their love story.