Michael and Julie met how most people do these days: a chance encounter in a book shop, their hands met as they both reached for a copy of 50 Shades of Grey. They smiled sheepishly and apologized, looking down at the ground first before their eyes lifted to meet. Hers a striking teal blue, his a warm hazel with flecks of golden bronze, all it took was that one look deep into each other's eyes and they knew they were destined to be together forever....

***Loud record scratching***

Just kidding, that was not at all how it went down! In reality, they met how two people really meet this day and age-- via the good old internet. Online dating.... whew, it's a jungle out there! When these two love birds met, they were both just about to call it quits on finding love. What with the numerous messages left on read, cringeworthy unsolicited d*ck pics, and countless mind games, the world of online dating felt to both like a very bad fever dream. So, when the two connected, they were understandably jaded with the whole system.

However, they both felt that something was different this time. The person they were messaging each day felt genuine, and the conversation felt so easy. Even so, a first date almost never happened for this bride and groom. Between illness for him, then illness for her, then car issues for him... it soon felt like it was going to be another failed attempt at a connection. Julie politely told Michael that she did not think a future was in the cards for them.

Never deterred by a challenge, Michael was determined to prove to Julie that he was not just another f*ck boy. He asked for one more chance to prove himself. And Julie agreed. A few days later, when they finally did meet in person, sparks flew. The gazing into each other's eyes as described up above? That really did happen. The connection was instant, and they both felt it. In person, the two felt just as comfortable with each other as they had via text, as if they could truly just be themselves when they were with each other.

They became immediately inseparable, finding ways to be together as often as they could. It wasn't long before Michael moved from Columbus to Norfolk. And, as evidenced by the existence of this very website, he eventually asked Julie if she would make him the happiest man on earth and marry him. I am pretty sure she said yes.

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