Our Story, as told by Brandon

The day we met was a day I’ll never forget, regardless of how many mimosas were consumed. It was a Sunday during football season and my roommate, Kyle Sadler, and I would always have Sunday funday on weekends he had off. It felt good that day so we sat outside, which ended up being the best decision I have ever made. We had been there for a couple of hours, when in walks a new bartender. I don’t remember what was said, but she smiled. When I saw that smile, I instantly knew I had to have her. I didn’t want to ask for her number and be just like every other guy that hits on pretty bartenders, so I asked for her Snapchat. At that point in time it seemed like a great idea, until Kyle and Dre started laughing at me. Then I was just embarrassed. With all hope out the door, I guess she just felt bad for me and gave me her number.
Fast forward a year later. The love I have for her has done nothing but burn deeper. So I decided it was time to pop the question. I had the ring for two days prior to asking and it was burning a hole in my pocket. We had our first ever picture taken on the Ferris Wheel at the Columbia County Fair, so I thought it would be a cool idea to ask her on the Ferris Wheel. She had a terrible day at work and didn’t really want to go anymore, but I was able to talk her into it. We get to the fair, and I’m so nervous, I want to go straight for the Ferris Wheel and just ask! We had been waiting in line for what seemed like eternity, but we were like 4 people from the ride. About that time, I look up and I see vomit hurling from the top of the Ferris Wheel, and before I can react, Maggie is freaking out. I look at her, and , yep, throw up all in her hair. Just my luck. I was determined though and thankfully my friend Lauren took her to get cleaned up and calmed her down. They let us skip the line and go next on the ride. As soon as the ride stopped, I forgot the entire speech I had wanted to say and just blurted it out. Thankfully she said yes!!
How We Met, as told by Maggie

I was going through a time of my life filled with lots of uncertainty. I was unsure if I was where I needed to be, and had questioned if living two hours from “home” was still right for me. I had asked God many questions and pleaded with Him for the answers.
A short few weeks later, many of my questions were answered on a fall Sunday. I went to work for my shift, and was told, slightly sarcastically, by one of my coworkers to “have fun” as she nodded her head towards where a small group of guys sat. I instantly got her drift, and thought, “oh great...” to myself. Little did I know that in that rowdy group of guys sat my future husband, who was probably the rowdiest of them all!
We carried on with shift change as normal, and I started my shift with my guard up. Over the next few hours, it would come to light that the man God had intended for me was before my very eyes.
The rowdy group of guys quickly dwindled, and soon I was left with just three of them. There Brandon sat, with his goofy grin, and glass of half drank mimosa. I could tell then by the look on his face, a look I’ve come to know well now, that he was up to something. He and two buddies, Dre and Kyle, had started whispering, cooking up a scheme. Before I knew it, Brandon had said the dreaded words every bartender and server love hearing... “You should smile more often.” That cheesy pick up line is so over used, a handful of us at the restaurant had decided to start giving the weirdest faces when someone said that. Mine was an all tooth grin that no man would possibly find attractive. But Brandon did. When given that smile, most men just stop talking to me- my goal. Not Brandon. The second he saw that, he bursted into laughter and gave that same look right back!
Brandon struck up a conversation, as only he can, and I quickly realized I was enjoying chatting with him. He wasted no time in asking me to get dinner with him one night that week. I thanked him for the offer, but remember telling him I had class and work, so I couldn’t. After all, I still didn’t really know him, and I had to look out for myself. Brandon persisted though, and I felt God telling me to trust Him.
Soon, Brandon was asking for my Snapchat- his reason being it would make him stand out from other guys who probably would just ask for my number. Of course when we did that, his friends, Dre and Kyle, and myself broke out into laughter. But Brandon stood bold, even with us laughing, and kept asking. If he wasn’t asking for my contact info, he was asking for a date. I had repeatedly said “no”, when I finally decided to ask God. I remember asking Him if this was truly who he had intended, then to make it perfectly clear. I heard His voice tell me, “yes”. Over the next few hours, Brandon sat, still chatting pleasantly and asking if I was going to go on a date with him.
After hearing God tell me “yes” so many times, and hearing Him tell me to trust Him, I gave Brandon my number. By the time Brandon had probably gotten to the parking lot, I heard God again. I had my answers to many of my questions.
Three days later, Brandon and I followed up with a round of mini golf. We talked for a long while after that first date, and from that night on, I had complete confidence this man was who I would marry.