Looking back, there are a million tiny decisions that could have led our paths in different directions. But luckily, the choices that seemed so difficult at the time are the very things that brought us to Murray, KY, where we met.

It was the summer of 2022, and I had just moved back to my college town to start a new job. I was excited, but nervous, because I didn't know very many people in the area yet. Most of my college friends had moved away, making the move to Murray more daunting.

Like many single people do, I hopped on an app hoping to meet someone, or, at the very least, make a friend.

I met David almost immediately.

And I don't use the word immediately to exaggerate, I mean I met him within the first week. We both swiped right, got a match, and immediately hit it off. He asked me to lunch the very next day.

We met at Goldenrod Cafe and talked for so long that we didn't even realize as the restaurant began to close around us. He asked for my phone number as we walked out, saying, "I'd really like to see you again."

Before I knew it, we were seeing each other daily. Walks around the MSU campus, game nights with friends, and ample trips to get ice cream filled that summer.

He came to a birthday celebration my friends threw me that year. When he left, one friend said to me, "You're going to marry that man."

By the start of July, David had asked me to be his girlfriend, and in the months to come we did so much. We coached chess and ran tournaments together, David took me on my first plane and train rides, we explored new cities and made new friends. We even moved into our first apartment!

When February 2024 rolled around, we had been talking about marriage for a while. I had started wondering if David was looking at rings, but my support system constantly reminded me, "slow down, enjoy the now, don't rush!"

But when we took our trip to Nashville, I just had a feeling.

Sure enough, on February 10, David took me to the Parthenon in Nashville, TN, a park we had previously visited and loved. On the way to the park, he played Taylor Swift's "Invisible String." It was raining.

As we walked up to the Parthenon, we saw couples taking wedding photos and David asked me if I'd ever be interested in having professional photos taken there. I laughed and said sure, mentioning a cousin who had taken her senior photos there.

But when a man with a camera stood up and started following us, I knew.

Before I knew it, David had dropped to one knee, asked me to marry him, and I said yes!

It was perfect. By the end of the afternoon we were soaking wet and a little muddy, but it was perfect. Just perfect.

Today, we've accomplished so much. We've moved to a new state, started new jobs, and begun planning a wedding. Throughout all of the chaos and change, I have been so lucky to have David by my side. He is smart, thoughtful, compassionate, and the best person I know.

I look back and I see a million little invisible strings that worked to bring us together.

I cannot wait for June 7 to become Mrs. Sye.

After two years living in Kentucky, I didn’t think I would find someone I would spend the rest of my life with.

In June of 2022, I went to a chess tournament in Owensboro, KY. When I got back home that night, exhausted, I decided to open up a dating app on my phone before I went to bed. I remember seeing Meg’s profile, and thought it would cool if she swiped right on my profile.

I woke up the next morning, and a notification on my phone told me I had a match! I excitedly saw that I matched with Meg, and messaged back and forth with her that whole Sunday. I had a good feeling, and I didn’t want someone else to swoop in.

I didn’t have work on that Monday due to Juneteenth (observed) so I asked her out to lunch at one of my favorite places in Murray, the Goldenrod Cafe.

We hit it off, talking about books, movies, and hobbies. I knew I wanted to get to know her more!

The next day at work, a friend stopped by my office, looked at me and said, “You went on a date, didn’t you? And it went well.” I told my friend I had a good feeling about Meg.

Fast forward a year, and Meg and I went on multiple trips, I met her family, moved in together, and I learned more about Kentucky than I ever could’ve imagined.

By the next summer, I was sure I wanted to marry her.

The first time I admitted that to someone was at a chess tournament I ran in June of 2023. One of the players who knew Meg was asking about her, and eventually asked, “Are you going to marry that girl?” I responded with “Man, I hope so.”

I put my plan into motion that fall, bought a ring by the new year, and asked her to marry me in February!

She brings out the best in me and I can’t wait for what our marriage has in store for us!