Some love stories take years to write. Ours started in middle school.

We met in 7th grade band class. Cole played trumpet, I played flute. Somewhere between awkward notes and hallway laughs, a friendship started. By 8th grade, we were spending afternoons at the city park, chasing sunsets and pretending we were older than we were. Our first kiss happened at the 4th of July fireworks show, right as Katy Perry’s “Firework” played over the speakers. A friend’s dad saw it and started calling me Katy Perry. That nickname still pops up now and then.

In high school, we became a couple. I was a cheerleader, Cole played football and baseball, and we lived for Friday night lights, school dances, and way too many late-night phone calls. People always said how sweet Cole was to me, how much he adored me. I didn’t realize how rare that was back then. We broke up in 10th grade, but life wasn’t done with us.

Out of the blue during senior year, Cole called me. We hadn’t talked in a long time, so I was surprised when he said, “I’m going to marry you one day.” I laughed, rolled my eyes, and figured he was just being flirty. He definitely had that reputation. But he meant it. He never stopped loving me.

We reconnected before college started. We were just friends at first, talking about growing up and figuring out life. Cole joined the cheer team and PIKE, and I joined a sorority. He invited me to his semi-formal, and even though we told everyone we were just friends, it didn’t take long to realize the feelings were still there. That connection had never gone away.

From that point on, we held on tight and didn’t let go.

Since then, life has been full of laughter, spontaneous road trips, way too many dance floors (Cole always drags me onto them), and one spoiled dachshund named Remington. Cole is still the life of the party. He’s always ready with a bear hug, a goofy dance move, and a whole lot of love. And he still treats me like he did when we were kids.

Then came the proposal (almost 6 VERY LONG YEARS LATER- but who's counting, right ;)?). Cole planned a quiet picnic at Sam Houston Jones State Park, just the two of us and Remi. What I didn’t know was that he had photographers hiding nearby to capture the moment. While we were walking, Cole got my attention, dropped to one knee, and asked me to spend forever with him. It was sweet, simple, and so us. I said yes without a second thought.

After everything — the middle school friendship, the first kiss under the fireworks, the years apart, the college reunion, and that moment in the park — we’re finally here. And we’re so excited to celebrate with the people who’ve been part of our story all along.

C&H