Brandon and Mikala met through a dating app called Bumble in 2020, but soon realized that they had just missed each other for their entire lives. When they began talking they learned about their similarities, mutual friends, and that they lived only one mile away from each other!

For the first time, on Halloween in 2020, they met in person. With COVID-19 still causing restaurants to close early, they ended up outside of the Sonic in Ballentine. After realizing how much they had in common and seeing how their senses of humor fed off of one another, they agreed to a second date.

A few days later, they decided to meet at the bookstore. Knowing either of them, you know how much they love to read! Mikala unfortunately had to work late and wasn’t able to make it there before closing time- but Brandon was already looking out for her. He surprised her with books she had been talking about. As a joke, Mikala said she had to marry him… we see how that worked out! They decided to make it official that day and haven’t looked back since.

Over the next 4 years, Mikala and Brandon learned to lean on and love each other through the good times, tough times, and life changes. Mikala brought one cat into Brandon’s life, named Pepper, and together they adopted another, named Smudge.

They have bonded and strengthened their relationship through family, friends, and their love of God.

As a couple, they have loved to try new foods, create new traditions, read, and play both video and board games. Mikala and Brandon each feel like they know each other more than they know themself and are truly the yin to each other’s yang.

When Brandon proposed, he spent a day recreating and retracing the steps of his and Mikala’s first dates, even stopping by their old house. Their final trip was to his parent’s house, where Brandon got down on one knee by the lakeside beach of his childhood home. Mikala of course said YES! They are honored to be having their wedding on the beautiful Lake Murray at this same house of Kathy and Winston Giles, Brandon’s parents.