Erika and Sam met in Georgia in January 2023. She was stationed at Robins AFB and he was stationed at Fort Benning. They had their first date in downtown Macon and had a great time! But, unfortunately, it was a case of the right person and the wrong time. (Unbeknownst to Erika, Sam was in love with her from the moment he saw her)

They remained friends, and a few months later Sam moved to Fort Bragg, NC. They decided to meet up “halfway” and explore Congaree National Park in South Carolina (furthering Erika’s bucket list goal to see all of the National Parks), while simultaneously getting to spend some time together. Their relationship continued to grow against the stunning forest backdrop. And yet, alas, the timing still wasn’t right, and they parted ways once again.

Thankfully, Erika invited Sam as her date to her friend Emma’s (the Maid of Honor!) wedding in Mesa, AZ. This gave them a perfect excuse to reunite after having confessed their feelings for each other, and began the groundwork of their romantic relationship together.

In a decidedly unromantic way, yet in typical military fashion, the context for their eventual engagement was discussions of formal timelines for when to get married and when to have children and logistics and practicality.

Despite the slightly less idyllic background, they found their romance in a beautiful proposal on New Year’s Eve under the lights of a Chinese Lantern Festival in Cary, NC. She, as you may have guessed, said yes! And thus begins their Happily Ever After.