For those of you that don’t know Connor and Bonnie’s story, it has taken some fun and interesting turns. They are both originally from the Birmingham area and attended Evangel Classical Christian School. Bonnie attended Troy University for elementary education after leaving Evangel. She is now living in Auburn, Alabama working as a 4th grade teacher at Trinity Christian School. Connor is currently a senior, set to graduate in May of 2023, in wireless engineering at Auburn University.

The first time that they met was back in 2013. Connor recalls the first time that they met, saying “I still remember the day. I was so nervous for my first day at a new school. As I was getting ready to walk through the front doors, Mrs. Melissa greeted me at the door and grabbed the people closest to her to introduce us. This was the first time I met Bonnie and she doesn’t even remember it”. Throughout their time at Evangel, they had very few interactions. They had overlapping friend groups, but their paths rarely crossed. It wasn’t until after their time at Evangel that they actually talked to each other. They reconnected in the fall of 2021 during Bonnie’s Senior year of College, through a mutual friend. Connor asked Bonnie out to catch up and to get to know her better.

Connor had planned a great first date, but as you all know, things don’t always go according to the plan. Bonnie blew a tire the night before their date and locked her keys in her car before leaving for the date. They were supposed to meet in Auburn because Connor was working on a last minute assignment before Bonnie was to arrive. Thankfully they were both flexible and able to change plans quickly. They instead decided to meet for Mexican food in Prattville, where her parents live. Even through all of the craziness and changes, they both had a great time. They were not ready to call it a night just yet, so they decided to go for a drive to talk. The first date, November 5th, 2021.

The time finally came to have the “let’s make it official” talk. That night, Connor got a bit nervous. Well, more than a bit nervous. He had planned a big date to a nice restaurant and then to grab dessert before a surprise trip to Rage Room in Birmingham. After the date, he started talking to Bonnie about the future while sitting in the car in his parents’ driveway. He was so nervous that he never actually said he wanted to make things official. About three weeks after this, they finally made things official after a “nice and refreshing” dinner at Longhorn. Officially dating, February 5th, 2022.

During the spring and summer of 2022 they were only able to see each other occasionally due to being in different cities. In the fall of 2022, Bonnie began working at Trinity Christian School in Opelika. This allowed them to spend more time together. This was a time where they were really able to grow closer to each other and consistently spend quality time together.

For those of you that don’t know, Disney has a very special place in the hearts of both of their families. Bonnie was on a long family trip to Disney in May of 2022, and Connor was set to go on a family Disney trip towards the end of their trip. The timing was perfect as it allowed parts of their families to meet for the first time. They said “I love you” for the first time during this trip, but if you have followed the theme of their story, that didn’t quite go according to plan either. There was a moment during this trip where Connor realized that Bonnie was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Disney will forever be a very magical place for them.

The Proposal, December 19th, 2022. Connor had been planning this day for months. He had asked for her father’s blessing and picked out the perfect ring. It was time to put everything into motion. Connor had planned a trip to Disney World with his family and invited Bonnie under the guise of it being a surprise for his siblings. What Bonnie didn’t know was that more than one family would be there. Connor along with Bonnie’s family were about to pull off a huge surprise. After months of keeping secrets from little siblings and Bonnie, the time had finally arrived. They made the long drive from Birmingham to Orlando and were ready to hit the parks running. They arrived at Magic Kingdom for their first day in the parks. The morning did not go according to plan. Thank goodness for backpacks and quick hands. The morning was full of mishaps and evasive maneuvers to avoid ruining the surprise. The time arrived and Connor whisked Bonnie away down a path towards Cinderella’s Wishing Well. Bonnie asked a photographer to take some pictures of them at the well without knowing that the photographer was actually hired by her family to capture their special moment. As Connor began speaking the words that he had thought about all night long, Bonnie told him to stop. She thought that he was joking. As he finished what he wanted to say, he got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. She said YES!! Bonnie was in shock and quickly asked if her mom knew about this. As she asked this question, her mom and dad, and all of her siblings walked up the pathway towards them. This shocking moment was captured by the photographer and quickly became one of their favorite photos. They celebrated with their families and quickly called their extended family and friends to announce the exciting news.

This leads us all to their Big Day, June 17th, 2023! They are so excited for you to join them on their journey and celebrate this big step in their lives. They cannot wait to celebrate with everyone at their ceremony and reception in June!