On April 30, 2023, I had no idea my life was about to change forever. That day, I was heading to Winnie Palmer Hospital to meet my brand-new niece, Quinn, who had just been born. It was already a special day for our family, but fate had even bigger plans.

Before heading up to see my sister and Quinn, my friend Valentina, who worked on the 6th floor, asked me to stop by her unit. I brought along cookies from my restaurant, thinking it would be a quick hello. That’s when she introduced me to her friend Lily, who was sitting at the desk. Little did I know, that brief introduction would mark the beginning of the greatest love story of my life.

A few days later, Valentina and her husband Caleb invited me out to Pepe’s Cantina for Cinco de Mayo. Lily happened to be there, and although I didn’t think much of it at first, we ended up spending most of the evening talking and getting to know each other. Our connection felt easy and natural, and I left that night thinking there might be something special between us.

Over the next few weeks, Valentina orchestrated several hangouts with Caleb, Lily, and me. Though it might have started as a little matchmaking, we didn’t need much help—Lily and I clicked immediately. We spent countless evenings at The Wine Room in Winter Park, FL, with our little group becoming inseparable.

Our first official date came shortly after, just the two of us this time. We spent an unforgettable evening at Prato and The Wine Room, talking for hours until the early morning. By the time I dropped her off, I knew she was the one I’d been waiting for my whole life.

From then on, we were inseparable. On July 6th, a date we both consider lucky, I asked her to be my girlfriend on the beach in New Smyrna. Just a week later, we told each other “I love you,” and it felt like we’d found the missing piece we didn’t know we were searching for.

Our story felt like a fairytale—our connection was effortless, and our lives had intertwined in so many unexpected ways. Lily grew up directly across the street from Rollins College, where I went to school. Her dad shares my love of golf, and her mom is now my favorite pickleball partner. Lily also formed strong bonds with my family, becoming close with my sisters, who will all stand beside her as bridesmaids on our wedding day.

But perhaps the most incredible part of our story is how it all began. On the very same day I met my niece Quinn, I also met Lily. Two of the most important people in my life entered my world within hours of each other, at the same hospital, on a day that now feels like it was destined.

In September 2024, I proposed to Lily at Casa Feliz, a beautiful venue in Winter Park that she loves. Now, we’re getting married here in Winter Park, the place where Lily grew up, where I went to college, and where we fell in love.

What started as a simple hello on the 6th floor of a hospital turned into a love story beyond our wildest dreams, and we’re so excited to share this next chapter with all of you!

Johnny