Ryan and Bethany met through mutual friends in the summer of 2018. Bethany was actually dating one of Ryan's friends at the time. Since they shared the same friend group they saw each other when Bethany would visit from GA. Eventually they started to get to know each other better and became friends themselves. When things didn’t work out between Ryan’s friend and Bethany, Ryan continued to get to know her and made an effort to keep in contact. Over the next few years Ryan and Bethany continued to grow closer, before long they were talking every day and hanging out whenever they could. Bethany knew that she couldn’t imagine her life without him. So, naturally, when he asked her out, she turned him down for fear that it would ruin their friendship. But Ryan did not give up! It took a lot of patience, prayer and persistence but finally in the fall of 2020 Ryan broke free from the dreaded Friend Zone, and Bethany agreed to date him officially. He promised he would never break her heart and it didn’t take long before they knew what they had was special.

While Ryan was gone on a 3 week long work trip in California, he hatched his proposal plan. In order to throw Bethany completely off he asked Her to plan a “Welcome Home Ryan” party the evening of his arrival. Usually, when Ryan returned from a work trip they would go out to eat. However, because of the party, Bethany was stressed about the timing and suggested taking a rain check on dinner out. But Ryan insisted they stick with the tradition and go somewhere nice for dinner despite the time crunch. Reluctantly she agreed to go. Ryan took her to a roof top restaurant in Norfolk that they had always talked about going to. He didn’t talk much at dinner and Bethany just thought he was tired and that they should have stayed home. Little did she know it was because he was nervous. After dinner Ryan asked the waitress to take their picture before they left and while the pictures were being taken Ryan pulled out a small box, dropped to one knee and proposed in front of the whole restaurant. Bethany was so surprised she couldn’t remember if she answered. She later asked Ryan, “I did say yes, right?” Eager to tell their friends the news, they left the restaurant for the “Welcome Home Ryan” party. Unbeknownst to Bethany, another surprise awaited. All of their friends had secretly turned the party into a surprise engagement party!