Growing up you wonder about the future, including who you would want to spend the rest of your life with. In all our years, I don't think either of us could have envisioned someone so perfect for each other.

It is no wonder as Ryan sat down at Rebecca's (bridesmaid) birthday and first met Ashley, he thought, "she seems too good to be true, she must be taken." Nonetheless, that didn't stop Ryan from offering the whole group a ride to Kate's (bridesmaid) apartment as the bar closed. So six people proceeded to fit themselves into his 1999 Ford Escort. Thankfully, this did not deter Ashley's interest in Ryan - she found the gesture sweet, albeit a bit of a squeeze.

At the end of the night, with some "light" cajoling from Tiffany (bridesmaid) who had invited Ryan to the celebration, Ryan walked Ashley home to her building. They stood outside and talked for what Ryan hoped was not an awkward amount of time. He got her number, but not certain whether Ashley was taken, decided to play it safe and demure...for two months.

After sufficient reconnaissance and being further advised by two fraternity brothers, Rich (Best Man) and Justin, that "she likes you," Ryan asked Ashley out on a bike ride. From that moment on, they couldn't stay apart. Ryan commuted almost daily to DC from his home office in Northern Virginia. It was a “long (for the DC area) distance” relationship. In spite of the traffic on the 14th Street Bridge and Ryan's penchant for coming down with COVID at the most inopportune moments, including shortly before meeting Ashley's parents and before her brother's wedding, their relationship grew stronger...and thankfully he made it to both events, eventually.

And later that year, just before Christmas, Ryan asked Ashley to take his hand and join him for a lifetime of adventures.