Like many love stories, ours starts with a boy meeting a girl. But actually, it starts with the girl seeing the boy’s profile on a dating app and taking a chance to send him a compliment that he looks a lot like the actor Jensen Ackles from the show Supernatural (look him up, tell the bride if you see it). The girl, you see, was getting tired of dating apps and going through “the talking phase” and maybe going on a date eventually. When she saw the boy’s profile, she decided she was going to be brave and take one last shot before taking a break from the dating app. Meanwhile, the boy was worn out from the same conversations with different girls and always having to make the first move or try to keep the conversation going. So he was pleasantly surprised (and very flattered) when he got the girl’s bold message starting the conversation.

The boy’s name was Will, and he had lived his whole life in a small town in western Kentucky. He went to school with people he had known since he was little, and even when he went away to Murray for college, he was still only an hour from home. So when he moved to Louisville after graduating with his master’s in clinical psychology, he had only a small group of friends in town that he knew. He decided a dating app would be the best way to meet someone that he could potentially keep in his life forever.

The girl’s name was Kerry, and she had lived in Louisville her whole life. And even though she had a lot of family and friends in Louisville, she was still having a hard time meeting someone who she could picture with her in the future. She decided to join a dating app just to broaden her horizons a little.

Will and Kerry had their first date at the Louisville Zoo (Kerry’s suggestion because she had a season pass and figured even if the date was bad, at least she would get to see some cute animals). Will was impressed by Kerry’s choice, since he had mostly been to bars and coffee shops for first dates. They met at the front gates and were both glad that each person looked like their profile pictures. Then they started walking and talking…and the magic began…

Will and Kerry both realized that first night that this date wasn’t like the others. They both felt butterflies in their stomachs and goosebumps on their arms when they realized how well they got along, and how much they had in common. Even with their differences (he’s a UK fan, she’s UofL), they were able to make each other laugh while they debated. Neither one wanted to jinx it but they both left that night excited for another date.

And other dates did come. Kerry met Will’s dog, Bat, who peed on her foot immediately and signaled to his dad that she was a good one. Will helped Kerry when she decided to get a kitten, Dublin, in spite of the fact that he thinks cats are secretly evil. They went to art museums, soccer games, dinner dates, and more. They met each other’s friends, and eventually their families. They learned to go through life together, experiencing job changes, moving in together, celebrating milestones, and dealing with grief. They both knew (maybe from the beginning) that they had found their other half, the person who didn’t complete them but who complemented them and made them grow and become the best possible version of themselves. So Will started to plan, which is very difficult to do around Kerry, who is always the planner and knows everything about their schedules.

Because Kerry is a music therapist, Will knew that music was an important part of her life. He wanted to make the proposal special by incorporating music, and decided to get a group of friends together at a private room in a karaoke bar. He coordinated with several of their friends, his parents, and Kerry’s parents all without Kerry catching on. (Although she was suspicious of something happening…the officiant has the messages to prove it.)

Will managed to pull off the surprise during a duet with Kerry, singing her favorite song “Love Story” by Taylor Swift. He did, in fact, kneel to the ground and pull out a ring. And she said yes!

Although fairytales always end with “Happily Ever After,” Kerry and Will don’t view their wedding and marriage as the end of the story. They see it as the start of their next chapter, and they can’t wait to see what kind of magic unfolds.

To be continued…