We first met in 2018 on the couch of Tay’s college house Toolbox, playing Guitar Hero, because obviously, nothing says “meant to be” like not speaking while blasting Suck My Kiss by the Red Hot Chili Peppers on a plastic guitar. Tay had seen Hannah around and thought she was hilarious, gorgeous, and (unfortunately) not single. So he did what any self-respecting guy would do: quietly admired from afar and told absolutely no one. (He definitely told his friends.)

Fast forward to March 2021. A few mutual friends (shoutout Team Elkton) set us up on a group blind date. It was peak Covid, so dating felt like a bad job interview. And honestly… the date was a flop. Tay was really quiet, Hannah left disappointed, and we both figured that was probably the end of that. 

But Tay wasn’t ready to call it. After some coaching from his friends and a few pep talks in the mirror, he asked Hannah for her number and a second chance. She was surprised, mostly because he seemed uninterested the first time, but agreed. We hung out again, and what was supposed to be a quick meetup turned into a four-hour conversation…and then planning the next time we could see each other. Turns out the quiet guy from date #1 had a lot to say and a lot of charm, humor, and empathy under the surface. 


Tay brought calm to Hannah’s chaos (the good kind). Hannah brought words to Tay’s silences. We balanced each other out in all the right ways. Together, we’ve navigated graduations, moves, job shifts, international adventures, and the general craziness of early adulthood with a lot of laughter, grace, and ice cream runs along the way. 

On July 20, 2024, Tay proposed at one of our favorite places in Richmond, the Branch Museum. It was a rainy, beautiful day, with flower petals scattered where Tay got down on one knee. Later, we found out the petals hadn’t been placed by anyone and the flowers weren’t even in bloom nearby. It was a quiet, magical detail in a moment we will never forget.

We are beyond excited to start our married life together full of adventure, laughter, and probably a few minor disagreements about choosing what to watch on Netflix. We’ve weathered long distance, life abroad, and a global pandemic, so we’re feeling pretty confident about our odds against Ikea furniture and budgeting spreadsheets. Hannah’s cats, Junie B and Jones, are thrilled to officially gain a dad (and by “thrilled,” we mean they are mildly intrigued and will tolerate him... for treats).

Let the forever sleepovers begin!