We’ve known each other for as long as we can remember — growing up together through church and the same circle of friends. What he didn’t know back then is that I had the biggest crush on him for years.

After high school, we went out for ice cream one night and ended up talking for hours. It just felt easy — like something that had been waiting to happen. I was heading off to school in North Carolina that fall, and we both thought things would naturally fade with distance. But they didn’t. We kept talking, kept missing each other, and eventually realized this was more than either of us expected.

When I came home, we finally made it official — and from then on, nothing felt right unless we were together. Now, after years of long distance, we’re so excited to celebrate our wedding somewhere that lets us slow down and spend time with the people who’ve been part of our story.