Our Story

I’ve known my bride-to-be, Ashley, for as long as I can remember. Our families have been friends forever, but it wasn’t until high school that things started to shift from friendship to something much more special.

It was the night of her senior cheerleading game, and I could see how emotional she was. She was saying goodbye to something she loved so much, and I wanted to be there to support her. To be honest, I was a little sweaty after my football game, but I knew that was the moment to ask her something important.

In the middle of all the emotion, I asked her to be my girlfriend. Even though she was in tears, I could tell she felt the same way, and from that moment on, I knew we were in this for the long haul.

Our journey together continued even after high school. Ashley went off to Ashland University, and I went to Otterbein University for a year. I could see how much she was growing and thriving, but I also knew that college wasn’t the right fit for me, so I made the decision to leave and pursue a career in plumbing. I became a plumber in 2023 after finishing college, and while Ashley was busy with her nursing degree, I was proud to start building my future.

Ashley graduated in May 2024, and I was so proud of everything she accomplished. After she finished school, she spent the next few months studying for the NCLEX, and I could see how stressed and anxious she was. I wanted to do something special for her, something to help her relax and take her mind off the pressure.

I had been thinking about taking the next step in our relationship for a while. It felt like the right time, and I knew I wanted to ask Ashley to marry me. I wanted to make sure I had her parents' blessing, so I decided to ask them during a moment when Ashley wasn’t around. One evening, while she was at stunt practice, I knew it was the perfect time. I took her parents out for dinner and, after some conversation, I asked for their permission to marry their daughter. It was such an important moment for me, and I was so relieved and happy when they gave me their blessing.

With their support, I planned a surprise getaway to Tennessee for Ashley and me to relax. I told her we were just going to spend time in a cabin with my parents, and it was supposed to be a fun, relaxing break. But what she didn’t know was that I had been planning something big.

When we arrived at the cabin, I asked Ashley to get ready for dinner, but I had something much more important in mind. As we stood together in front of a breathtaking mountain view, I asked Ashley to marry me. The moment was perfect, and when she said yes, I couldn’t have been happier.

But the surprises didn’t stop there. I had also arranged for Ashley’s parents to come to the cabin to celebrate with us. The look on Ashley’s face when she saw them was priceless, and having both of our families there made the moment even more special.

Now, as we get ready to start this next chapter of our lives together, I couldn’t be more excited. I’m so grateful for everything we’ve shared, and I can’t wait to marry the love of my life and continue building our story, hand in hand.

A&T