Dan and Lily first met in 2016 while both working at Leesville Road Animal Hospital as kennel technicians. They shared a fast friendship alongside their brief joint employment. Life took them separate ways from there (Dan entered a career in microbiology, Lily moved on to manage Dog Diggity Daycare & Boarding), but over the years they kept in touch from afar.

In March of 2021, Dan invited Lily on a walk around the outdoor section of the NC art museum... And what started as a short stroll ended up as an hours-long reunion of their hearts, talking about anything and everything, sharing the stories of their lives' evolutions. From there, they were inseparable, slowly melding two lives into one.

In November of 2023, Dan once again invited Lily on an outdoor stroll-- this time to Moonlight in the Garden at the arboretum, Dan's favorite place. The arboretum was lit with displays of all colors, and the couple slowly made their way to a gazebo, where Dan got down on one knee and proposed with a diamond ring made from those of Dan's grandfather and Lily's mother.

While the two were civilly married on February 29th, 2024, they are overjoyed to share with you their convalidation ceremony and reception. Many of you have seen their journey from the very beginning, and they couldn't be more honored to celebrate its culmination with you. ◡̈

D&L