We are pretty sure when anyone signs up for their required freshman English course, they do not expect to find their future husband or wife. At least, we did not, but as cheesy as it sounds, we found love in the most unexpected place and when we least expected it.

In January, 2011, Alex and I met after I asked him to be my editing partner in our Freshman English class at UNC Chapel Hill. To my surprise, and I hope to yours as well, he said no. I was shocked, but like any determined girl, I asked the instructor to assign us anyways and she happily agreed. Throughout the semester, we edited each others papers but honestly did not have much conversation outside of that. Y'all, all of his papers were on football, and somehow I had no idea he even played football for UNC. It's actually kind of embarrassing considering how important football has been in our relationship over the past 6 years.

After the semester was over, we parted ways (without each others numbers) and during the summer we reconnected at a football party. Yes, this is when I actually realized he played football. We spent the entire night talking and laughing. From that night forward, we were inseparable. We spent almost all of our free time together and ultimately we became best friends.

Months passed but Alex had still not formally asked me on a date. It took until October, 2011 for him to ask me on a date to see his dad's high school football team play. Despite the rainy weather and me hitting Alex in the mouth with my umbrella, he somehow fell for my silly self. Of course, I had fallen for him as well.

Later that night, he asked me to be his girlfriend and for more than 6 years now, we have been blessed to be by each others side in the same town where it all began, Chapel Hill.

About a month before the proposal, Alex asked Ariel to try and get off early from work (often very difficult as a trauma and orthopedic nurse) to attend his football social for coaches and their significant others on March 3, 2018. Thankfully, one of her coworkers agreed to pick up for her (Thanks, Kate)! She did not suspect anything since Spring ball started the day after so it made sense for there to be a get together with all of the coaches. Little did she know, she would not be attending a social at all, instead she would get the biggest surprise of her life!

After lots of outfit changes the day of "the social", Alex and Ariel headed to the stadium. He parked in his normal spot and told her they would cut across the football field to get the Blue Zone where the social was being held. Once they were on the field, he stopped her on the 50 yard line and said "Ariel, I love you more than anything in this world." Still, she did not catch on and told him she loved him too. He then continued to tell her how she spends most of her days taking care of everyone around her and he wanted to spend the rest of his life taking care of her! Tears began to form in her eyes and right as he dropped to one knee, she began to full on cry. "Ariel Franklin, will you marry me?" he said. Of course she said, yes, Yes, YES!

Shortly after, she heard yelling from the coaches balcony in the stadium, and there stood a very close friend and coworker of Alex who helped him make sure the stadium was ready for the proposal, Ariel's sweet mama who drove in from the mountains of NC, and Ariel's best friend who flew in from Nashville, TN. Her mouth dropped, and she began to cry, again. As they started walking towards them, she noticed a photographer hiding by the same tunnel they had walked through to get onto the field! As if proposing to her in their favorite place in the world was not a big enough of a surprise, he went and got a photographer to capture it all and made sure her mom and best friend could witness the whole proposal!

The surprise did not end there. He took her back to the house where he had arranged a surprise engagement party with their closest friends and family! Once again, she cried. Having their parents, other family members, and friends from near and far all together to celebrate their love was truly incredible. She was (and still honestly is) speechless about how perfect the night was!