It all started on April 1, 2021. Ashley had just moved to Charlotte from upstate New York, excited for a fresh start. Tyler, originally from Michigan, had already made Charlotte his home. Not long after Ashley settled in, she and Tyler crossed paths — and something just clicked.

For their very first date, they met at Valhalla, a cozy pub tucked away in Uptown Charlotte. Over drinks and easy conversation, what was supposed to be a casual meet-up turned into hours of laughter and connection.

As if fate wasn’t already working overtime, the very next day Ashley flew to Cancun for a girls' trip — and incredibly, ran into Tyler and his family at the Cancun airport! Tyler was just starting his family vacation, and somehow, even miles away from home, their paths crossed again.

From that unexpected beginning, Ashley and Tyler’s story has been filled with adventure. Over the years, they have traveled together, making memories in new places with each other, their families, and friends — sharing endless laughter and growing closer with every experience. When Ashley encouraged Tyler to step out of his comfort zone and go backpacking through the Dolomites in the Italian Alps, they embraced the challenge together. Through each adventure, big or small, they discovered even more reasons to love and support one another.

Somewhere along the way, Tyler — who wasn’t much of a dog person at first — became best friends with Koda, Ashley’s loyal companion. It didn’t take long for Koda (and Milo) to win him over, and now they are truly inseparable.

Then, on Christmas morning, December 25, 2024, came a moment they’ll never forget. As Ashley stood by the Christmas tree, she opened a penguin ornament and found a love letter inside. As she read the words that captured their journey and dreams for the future, Tyler got down on one knee — with Koda right by his side — and asked her to spend forever with him. It was the perfect, cozy, and heartfelt proposal, wrapped in love and holiday magic.

Today, Ashley pours her heart into her career as an Operating Room Nurse Manager at the Charlotte Surgery Center through SCA Health, while Tyler thrives as a Senior Project Manager at Deloitte. One of the greatest joys for both of them has been getting to watch each other grow, achieve, and chase dreams along the way. Through all of life’s changes, their greatest adventure has been building a life together.

Now, they are so excited to celebrate this next chapter — surrounded by the mountains, their loved ones, and of course, Koda — as they say, "I do".

Can’t wait to see you in May!