Ava:

It all started on October 18th, 2022. To say sparks flew is an understatement. We went to the same community college, but didn’t know the other existed. Until that day. I was working on homework in my car in the parking lot. And then I saw someone walking towards my car, and when I looked up, I saw Gavin. I rolled down my window and asked if he needed something, and he told me his car battery had died. I awkwardly told him that I didn’t know how to jump a car, but I had the cables. He said it was alright, he just needed to use someone’s car. I pulled my car around next to his car, and he used my car battery to jump his. I sat in my car and watched him almost electrocute himself (hence the sparks flying). Afterward, he asked me for my social media in case something went wrong with my car. We started talking, and it wasn’t long before we discovered how much of each other we complete. He taught me how to love myself, how to be confident in my abilities, and how everything will always be okay in the end. Loving Gavin is easy, because it always seems like we’re on the same wavelength. We’ve been through our ups and downs, and experienced so many new things together. Getting married to Gavin is truly an amazing thing to me, and I’m so excited to spend the rest of my life with him.

Gavin:

When I first met Ava, I had no idea the kind of person I was going to meet. To start off, I should say I was in my car pretty annoyed considering my battery was dead. Luckily I spotted this one car in the parking lot still on. So as awkwardly as ever, I approached her car praying whoever it was didn’t think I was some creep. Luckily, all it took was her cracking her window for me to explain the situation, and then she pulled her car around for me to use it to jump mine. Mind you I’ve never jumped a car in my life. Sure, my dad showed me, but when I saw the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, everything kinda goes out the window. So I found a little google image of how the cables should look and hoped for the best. I got the car started mind you, but that wasn’t before some sparks flew both physically and metaphorically. I came up with the lame excuse “Give me your number in case something goes wrong with your car.” Luckily she fell for it. I went home and told my mom about the situation and told her yeah the girl brought her car around was absolutely beautiful, and I got her number. So imagine my surprise when she texted me first. I knew this girl was special the moment I met her, but once we started talking our conversations never really ended. It didn’t take me long to be head over heels for Ava, and everyday I find another reason to love her more and more. I knew after the first time we hung out that I never wanted to leave her side. I will always consider myself the luckiest guy in the world for meeting Ava. That dead car battery was the best thing to ever happen to me.

Our YES Day was June 21st, 2025 in Niagara Falls, ON, Canada.

I joked with everyone that this would be the perfect time for Gavin to pop the question. For the following reasons:
1.) We were going on vacation to a beautiful place, who doesn’t love waterfalls?
2.) My birthday is on June 24th, AND I was turning the big 21!
3.) Going to Canada would’ve been my first time going out of the USA for a vacation!

But also, me joking about it was my way of telling myself it wasn’t actually going to happen. I mean, we had just moved in together just a few months before and we’re still learning how to exist in each other’s space. To me, I thought getting engaged was something further down the road when the time was right. So imagine my surprise when Gavin actually did propose to me.

We were walking through the butterfly conservatory in Canada with his family. It was such a fun experience and the inside was gorgeous, and then we were walking through the connected botanical gardens. Looking at a map, I saw a larger courtyard with flowers and I wanted to go to that. We didn’t quite end up there before I saw a secluded spot surrounded by hedges and flowers. Gavin turned to me and asked if I wanted to take a picture. I said yes and we started to get into position for pictures, but when I looked at him, he was getting down on one knee. I remember feeling confused for a moment, before I realized he had something in his hands.

A ring.

And then he was asking me to marry him. I cried, bawled and ugly sobbed actually. Because I already had it set in my mind that he wasn’t going to propose yet and I was fine with waiting. But it was real, and it was the happiest I have ever been, and then I realized it was yet again another set up. His whole family was in on it, and he had even gotten my parents’ blessing before we left! I felt the most special I have ever been and in that moment so loved.

Because now I get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend.