Alison and Sterlen's love story began at the Honky Tonk Bar on Main Street in St. Charles, MO. It was a chilly September night and Alison spotted Sterlen the moment he stepped outside. Sitting at a table with a group of her closest friends she said "Look at the cute guy in the cowboy hat!" Encouraged by a few drinks and her friends' insistence, she finally mustered the courage to approach him.

"Excuse me, we have a few extra spots at our table, would y'all like to come sit with us?" she asked, to which he responded "Yeah!" Eventually the group headed inside the bar to listen to the band and Alison asked Sterlen, "Do you know how to dance?" Sterlen shook his head claiming, "No, I don't" but Alison wasn't convinced. She pulled him out on the dance floor and sure enough Sterlen knew how to dance and he spun her around on the dance floor. (Swept her off her feet, if you will)

From that unforgettable night, Alison and Sterlen began a love story defined by dedication and distance (because Alison had approached the only boy in the bar not from the Greater St. Louis Area). Every weekend, they alternated making the 2.5 hour drive between Indiana and St. Louis to be together. Each journey brought new adventures, deeper connections, and the promise that their love was worth every mile.