We first met in 2016 at Orlando Watersports Complex. Nate was operating the cable, and Keri was visiting for a few days to ride. We chatted a bit and shared some glances throughout the day, but that was about it. For the next six years, that became our pattern—crossing paths once or twice a year, exchanging a little small talk and a few flirty smiles before going our separate ways. Keri always hoped to see Nate when she visited, but outside of those brief moments, we had virtually no contact.


Fast forward to late 2022—Keri found herself in Florida with a few solo days to spare and messaged Nate for ideas on things to do. OWC was closed due to Hurricane Ian, and she had about 36 hours to kill before a friend arrived. Unfortunately, Nate didn’t see the message... and another six months passed.


Then came March 25, 2023. Nate was the boat coach that day and was scheduled to take Keri and her family out for a wakesurf set. This time, Keri greeted him with a hug and wasted no time calling him out for never replying to her message (in his defense, he really hadn’t seen it!). We exchanged numbers and grabbed dinner and drinks the next day before Keri’s flight home.


What followed were nine months of daily FaceTime calls and quick plane rides—sometimes just for 24 hours together. In January 2024, Keri took the leap and moved to Florida so we could give this thing a real shot.


Eleven months later, on December 15, 2024, Nate planned the perfect day and asked Keri to marry him. She, of course, said YES—and now here we are!


We truly can’t wait to celebrate our love with all of you and begin this next chapter—growing, learning, and loving each other every step of the way.