As many of you know, we’ve known each other for a very, very long time. It all started at a small daycare run by Aylea’s grandma, Cece Weise. When we were just 6 and 7 years old, Joey and his brother Jonathan attended Cece's daycare alongside Aylea and her brother Sam. At that time, none of us could have imagined where our journey would lead.

As the years went by, we were in the same school and even in some of the same classes. Early in middle school, we started talking more, and bonding over shared interests.

One day in 8th grade, Aylea's friends came rushing down the hall, calling her name with urgent excitement. They had some very important news: Joey had a crush on Aylea! Little did they know, Aylea had feelings for Joey, too.

A few months later, Joey got up the courage to ask Aylea to be his girlfriend, prompting her to choke on her bagel as she struggled to say "yes" without completely freaking out.

The rest is history. We navigated high school together and attended different universities, facing the challenges of school and the difficulties of being an hour apart. But we made every moment together count.

In the summer of 2023, Joey got down on one knee and proposed to Aylea during a hike in front of a breathtaking waterfall. Aylea was completely clueless, cracking open an alcoholic Mountain Dew just moments before!

Since that day, we’ve been busy planning our wedding, and we’re thrilled to share this journey with all of you. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has played a part in our love story.

We can’t wait for our big day!