It all began in 2017 in Conway, South Carolina. On a typical Thursday night, we both found ourselves at a pregame before heading to Tongys, a local college bar. In true Tony fashion, he avoided Jestina all night—just enough to spark her curiosity and get her to come to him (which she eventually did). Before leaving the bar that night, he introduced himself as “Anthony”… but to this day, no one really calls him that.

Within a week, we were inseparable—spending every moment together outside of class. That May, Tony invited Jestina to Connecticut for the weekend and took her hiking at Metacomet Trail, where he asked her to officially be his girlfriend.

That summer, we both made the decision to transfer from Coastal Carolina to West Virginia University. The next three years were filled with Greek life, late-night study sessions, and unforgettable memories with friends. For our one-year anniversary, Tony asked, “What do you get a girl who already has everything?” The answer: a puppy. That’s when Brody James came into our lives, quickly becoming our constant companion—from class to vacations to summers split between Connecticut and Long Island.

After graduating from WVU, life took us back to our hometowns—Jestina to pursue her Master’s degree, and Tony to start his career. We tackled long-distance for years.

Finally, on Memorial Day Weekend in May 2024, we celebrated our seven-year anniversary with a special trip to Newport, Rhode Island, alongside our families. After months of planning (and lots of anticipation), Tony got down on one knee and asked Jestina to marry him. Surrounded by loved ones and friends, it was everything she had ever dreamed of—and more.

Since then, we’ve moved to Raleigh, North Carolina to begin our life together. Along came another puppy Rylee Mae, new adventures, and countless memories still to come. We can’t wait to start the next chapter as husband and wife.