In 2018, Ahna moved to Columbia, SC as a dancer in Columbia Classical Ballet. In an attempt to meet people, she joined the online dating service, Bumble, where, in the fashion of true modern romance, Kyle and Ahna first met. Although neither of them would admit it at the time, they immediately were struck with each other and did not wait long to schedule a date just days later. As a true testament of how much they immediately enjoyed each other’s company, their first date lasted over four hours despite being entirely outdoors in the middle of August in Columbia, SC.

Soon after, Kyle and Ahna were a staple in each other’s lives and saw each other as much as they could as permitted by their schedules. In these days, their time together was often spent cooking together as a means of having an affordable date night or hanging out with Kyle’s friends that quickly became Ahna’s.

Despite being much out of character for him, thanks to Ahna, Kyle attended his first ballet performance. Then his second. Then his third. While the finer points were lost on him, Kyle loved, and continues to love, watching Ahna put her all into whatever she is doing. This trend continued as Ahna had a change in career trajectories and quickly moved up the ranks after turning her sights on being the best studio manager and fitness instructor possible.

In early 2020, Kyle and Ahna got their first puppy together, a golden retriever named Rowdy, that quickly took over their lives and went everywhere with them. He continues to be a source of immense happiness and a borderline concerning amount of conversation for the couple today. Following the agreed upon purchases of a Roomba and a King sized bed, their family was expanded again recently with the addition of a second puppy, Dolly, in August of 2024. Sadly, their home has now reached dog capacity according to Ahna, but Kyle is still holding out hope that they can somehow find room on their bed for one more.

With the constant support of Ahna, Kyle was able to finish his education in the Fall of 2021, and the couple relocated to Charlotte, NC. Since then, they have begun to expand both their social circles and their common hobbies as they’ve established themselves in the city. Their free time is often spent playing volleyball or other sports with their friends, spending time with their dogs, finding local restaurants and coffee shops, and getting far too invested in fantasy football. Often the couple will still tap into their old date nights and attempt to cook together, but these days, Kyle takes much more of a sous chef approach.

After 5 years together, Kyle proposed to Ahna in Knoxville, TN at World's Fair Park in front of close friends and even surprising her with her best friend & future bridesmaid, Audrey, who drove from Nashville to photograph the event! They celebrated the momentous occasion at a USC vs UT tailgate (where, sadly, the Gamecocks did not bring a win home for the newly engaged couple). They've spent the past year and a half enjoying being engaged and the process of wedding planning. Now, they can't believe the big day is almost here and are looking forward to celebrating with you!