In the spring of 2021, the world was opening post covid. Jonathan was in his second year of law school, while Erica was finishing her junior year at NC State. (Go Heels- Jonathan) Despite their opposition to using a dating app, the two were looking for a relationship via Bumble because many of the public forums were still closed or very limited. Erica would be the first, and thankfully only, person Jonathan met via Bumble.

Jonathan asked Erica to get dinner at Tupelo Honey for their first date on May 11, 2021. From getting to know each other, Jonathan knew Erica loved brunch food which is why he opted for Tupelo Honey. They ended up ordering the same entrée, chicken and waffles, and away their relationship went. They continued to go on dates until June 2, 2021, when they ended up at Sullivan's Steakhouse. At Sullivan's they sat down to eat, Jonathan with the intention of asking Erica to "officially" start dating. As the two began ordering, Erica asked the server for her filet to be well-done. To Jonathan, a filet well-done was an affront to every rancher, cow, and blade of grass that went into the food process. Yet, Jonathan overlooked this transgression and asked Erica to "officially" date. Thankfully, Erica agreed.

The next milestone in their relationship took place several months later at a Luke Bryan concert. Jonathan and Erica attended Hampton and Morgan Crumpler's engagement party. They had to leave the party slightly early to be able to make the concert. At the concert, Luke Bryan was playing "Drunk on You" and Jonathan was holding Erica listening to the song. An elderly man stood next to the couple. The man, while holding his wife, said to Jonathan "Don't let her go. There's hard times and there's good times but as long as you don't let her go it will all be worth it." In that moment Jonathan knew Erica was the one, and from then on was set on marrying Erica.

The two continued dating for over a year past that Luke Bryan concert. Despite Jonathan being a die-hard UNC fan, the two went to every NC State home football game together, other than the UNC/State game as it may have been a test too hard for their relationship. In return, Erica would attend every home Carolina Hurricanes game and a few UNC games with Jonathan.

In early 2023, with Erica getting ready to finish graduate school, Jonathan decided that it was time to propose. He asked her parents for permission and then began plotting the engagement with Erica's matron of honor, Sarah Saunders. As the two were plotting, Sarah had a crazy idea: throwing two parties in one day. On March 11, 2023, Jonathan and Erica went to Sarah's son's first birthday party at Sarah and Blake's house. As the party wrapped up, Jonathan told Erica that they needed to go to PNC Arena to pick up a parking pass for the Hurricanes game that night. Erica was hesitant and did not want to leave Smith's party but thankfully Jonathan was able to pull her away. They went to PNC Arena, but there was no parking pass to be picked up. After they arrived at PNC, Jonathan said that the parking pass was not ready but they could go look at the renovations being done at Carter-Finley which is one of Erica's favorite places. They walked around the stadium until they stumbled upon an open gate. Then, Erica reluctantly agreed to go inside the stadium. Inside the stadium they ran into a photographer claiming to be from the NC State Alumni magazine. The photographer asked the couple if she could take a few pictures of them on the field, and the couple agreed. After the pictures were done, the two walked around on the field. As they were on the field, Jonathan asked Erica where their seats would be for the upcoming State football season. Erica turned to point out the seats and as she turned back toward Jonathan, she noticed that he was down on one knee with a ring. (A ring being held upside down in its box) Erica was so stunned she could hardly speak until all of her emotions came out at one with a thousand "yeses". From there, they returned to Sarah and Blake's house where Erica's parents, Sarah's parents, Sarah and Blake flipped their house from a birthday party for Smith to an engagement party for the couple.

The two love each other very much and are incredibly thankful for everyone coming to celebrate their marriage.

We are also registered at a local shop Royal Gifts & Fine China. Here is the direct link to our registry: https://royalgifts.myshoplocal.com/registry.cfm/42065/Gales_Earnest/June-01-2024