During the summer of 1989, two couples united in marriage to officially begin the love story that carries out today. Jeff and Tammy Simmons, married June 17th, and Greg and Lori Brauner, married July 8th, would go on to have their beautiful first born children 3 years later. Dustin Wray in March of 1992, and Ashley Paige in April shortly after.

In the next several years growing up, they would both attend the same daycare where Ashley would shyly watch Dusty catch lizards outside, fall asleep at the lunch table, and everything else little boys do. In following years, they would both go to separate grade school and middle schools, but never forgot their affinity for each other. Even throughout high school, they would recognize each other but never enough to reconnect. Somehow, Ashley did not think that she was "cool" enough for the guy playing guitar in a band in high school. Little did she know, Dusty never thought that he had a chance with the pretty and whitty cheerleader that he saw all throughout those 4 years.

Fast forward a decade, after years of college and career changes, somehow Dusty and Ashley both found themselves back in Jefferson City where it all began. All it took was pure chance of Dusty walking through the grocery store and passing by Ashley, mustering up the courage to say "Hi how are you?" with a smile, and then being amazed that she still recognized him and said "Hi" back with the same pretty smile that he remembered from all those years before.

Over the next several years, Dusty would give nothing but his truest self to Ashley, as well as her giving the same in return which only grew their love for each other.

Perhaps the same love that began to sprout 32 years earlier when laying in baby cribs next to each other?

One thing for certain is that even if it has been over 30 years in the making, true love will be united on May 10th, 2025, and the couple cannot wait to share the moment with all of their closest friends and loved ones.