Brett and Nicole's story begins long before they were dating. Growing up in Laurel and Petal, Mississippi (a mere 32 miles apart), respectively, their paths often crossed without them knowing they would be each other's soulmates. Between band competitions, Hattiesburg and USM events, and even a blizzard in New York City, the two had a knack for near misses.

This trend finally ended on their first day as students at Southern Miss when Brett and Nicole met as members of the same orientation group. For their first few years, they remained friendly acquaintances as members of the Luckyday Scholarship program. They then turned into close friends during their Junior and Senior years as their friend groups from Delta Gamma and Sigma Nu converged. These years were filled with laughter, pool days, Marvel cinematic releases, and trips with friends. While both tended to flirt with each other, their relationship didn't blossom until they both ended up pursuing their master's degrees in Knoxville, Tennessee.

While in Knoxville, Brett and Nicole fell in love as they experienced new seasons of life and new seasons in general (fall and winter are real things in TN). They could often be seen on dates at Yassin's Falafel House, Cruze Farm Ice Cream, UTK sporting events, concerts in the Old City, and taking their pup Leo on strolls (he usually walks them) down the riverwalk. They've learned to love each other far and wide from Seattle to Barcelona and how to find joy in the simple things like movie nights, homemade pizza-making contests, and the experiences and passions that make each other unique.

Brett proposed to Nicole on April 13th of 2024, and they are counting down the days until February 15th, 2025, when they will be able to enter the sacrament of marriage in front of their closest friends and family. Brett and Nicole are the proud dog parents of their two pups, Leo and Maisy, and Brett is quite excited to officially change their last names to Benigno. The couple is planning to remain in Knoxville as they continue their careers at the University of Tennessee and enjoy their life in the foothills of the Great Smokey Mountains.

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