Hunter and Avery first met while they were both students at East Tennessee State University. Avery was pursuing her undergraduate degree in Dental Hygiene, while Hunter was working toward his master’s degree in Digital Marketing. Their paths crossed in the ETSU ID Services department, where Hunter worked as a Graduate Assistant and Avery served as a campus tour guide—both sharing the same office space. During the summer of 2023, they found themselves constantly near one another, spending their days laughing and forming an easy friendship. Avery would even bring in homemade sweets almost everyday for the “office.” Working side by side every day, it didn’t take long for something special to grow. On the Friday before classes began in the fall of 2023, Hunter asked Avery on a date. With a smile, she happily said yes. After that first date, they spent their time playing basketball, fishing, and getting just a little too competitive on the tennis court. With each passing day, they grew closer and more certain of what they had found in each other. On October 2nd, Hunter asked Avery to be his girlfriend, and the rest quickly became their favorite adventure. After nearly two years filled with laughter, love, and countless memories, they both knew they had found something lasting. On September 18th, 2025, Hunter waited nervously behind a tree at a park in Jonesborough as Avery and her friend Ellie made their way toward him. After what felt like an eternity, he stepped forward, got down on one knee, and asked the most important question. Avery’s response? “Yeah, I guess I’ll do it,” she teased—though the answer had always been yes.