I was told by my fiance, Jennifer, that I needed to contribute more to the wedding planning so I was tasked with writing our story. In preparation for my future role as husband I decided it would be best to comply with her wishes. Just remember Jenn, you asked for this.

Our story's beginning isn't particularly unique in this modern age as we met through an online dating site (Christian Mingle). At the start I wasn't sold on the idea of online dating given all the horror stories I had heard but figured it was still worth a shot. I had meticulously crafted my profile, filling it with an abundance of details—showcasing my impressive athletic accomplishments and highlighting my stellar qualities as a person. Naturally, I was confident that messages from potential matches would come pouring in, and unsurprisingly, that's exactly what happened. However, as I was getting older and (arguably) more mature, I knew I wasn't looking for just any casual relationship--I was searching for a future wife. Through past experience I had grown wiser and I was on the lookout for certain red flags in profiles like an abundance of duck-face selfies, pictures of cats, overt enthusiasm for Joe Biden, or phrases like "I'm just looking for my partner-in-crime!". With these in mind I checked my inbox every so often until I received a message from my future wife to be.

She reached out because of a mutual friend she recognized in one of my pictures. After some back-and-forth conversation I checked out her profile and sure enough, it checked all the boxes:

1. she was pretty

..and that's all it took (I guess I hadn't matured as much as I thought). Granted, she might've had one too many dog photos but I figured as long as it wasn't cats I would be safe. Eventually we decided to meet in person and had our first date at La Rustica near where we live in Charleston (which we highly recommend by the way). After the relief of not being catfished we had a wonderful evening discussing our families, interests and hobbies. It became clear early on that we were in similar stages of life and both ready for the next step.

The following months saw us on many more dates, doing everything from mini-golf to bowling to going to the movies--activities that made us feel as though we were back in high school. Along the way we learned a lot about one another. For example, I learned about Jenn's love for dogs, all things Disney, coffee mugs (....so many coffee mugs) and most importantly her family--a sentiment I've come to share as I've gotten to know them. And If Jenn were writing this story I'm sure she would tell you how she discovered just how great I turned out to be and how every word in my profile was extremely accurate.

As things progressed and got more serious we began traveling together, visiting places like Florida (which included a trip to Disney world of course), Pittsburgh (my home town) and even Mexico as a part of a 7 day cruise with her siblings and cousins. It was during this time that Jenn was introduced to my fear of flying which she completely disregarded and has made me fly more in the past 2 years than I have in the previous 20. But I guess that's what a significant other is suppose to do--to push you beyond your limits and force you to face your fears (though I think I'm done facing my fear for a least year or two).

After close to two years of dating I finally decided to pop the question. I devised an elaborate plan to get her to walk through a beautiful park in downtown Charleston on the way to dinner and then completely surprise her with a ring....buuut she figured it out after I parked conspicuously far from the restaurant we were going to. Never the less I took her to a predetermined spot in the park and asked her to be my wife. To my surprise and immense relief she said yes. And the rest is, as they say, history.

Jenn, I love you and can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together. To everyone else reading this story congratulations on being invited to one of the most prestigious and important events of this century! We can't wait to celebrate with all you come February 28, 2025!

J&J