We crossed paths in July of 2020, shortly after graduating college. Out of a group of friends, Nate always seemed to find a way to tag along wherever Alisha was. Whether it was suggesting a beach trip, trying a new restaurant, or grabbing ice cream, Alisha thought he was just being friendly, especially since he was the only one from North Carolina. Little did she know, Nate had other intentions!

What started as a fast-growing friendship slowly blossomed into something more. Honestly, we can’t even remember what our “official” first date was, since we were always together. Some of our favorite memories from that time include cheering on the Hurricanes, spending Saturdays watching college football, and any beach day we could get. One of Alisha’s first memories of us hanging out alone was a lazy morning after a late night when Nate took her to Waffle House. (Alisha paid and will never let Nate forget it! Nate swears it wasn't a date and that's why she was allowed to pay lol.)

From there, life took us on a bit of a whirlwind. We individually moved to North Dakota, Colorado, Indiana, and eventually California. Long-distance relationships aren't for the faint of heart, and we eventually went our separate ways. Nevertheless, Nate always found ways to stay in touch. Whether it was congratulating Alisha on her new nephew or asking her work-related questions that had zero relevance to his job (but he tried), he always made sure to keep in touch.

Things really took a turn when Nate asked to spend time with Alisha and her friends during her first masters graduation weekend in Indiana. Her friend Jordan turned to Alisha and said, “He’s in love with you!” Naturally, Alisha, being oblivious, replied, “Oh no, we’re just friends, and we’ll always care about each other.” But a week later, Nate asked Alisha to dinner, told her he was going to marry her and… well... the rest is history.

Our story may not be typical, and is definitely not linear, but honestly, we can't imagine it any other way. We’re so excited to celebrate this next chapter and the start of the rest of our lives with all of you!

A&N