I met David at a time when I was determined not to meet anyone. I was 21 and ready to embrace single life—even if it was over dating apps thanks to a little thing called COVID-19. But online dating during a pandemic was mind-numbing. Over-edited thirst traps and Jims searching for their Pam left me bored stiff.

Then I saw him: a goofy guy with grainy candids, an adorable mess of curls, and a bio that mentioned his punk band back west. For the first time in ages, I felt a spark.

I’d been recycling the same opening line for ages, but David deserved better. I rubbed my hands together, ready to deliver Bumble’s greatest icebreaker:

“I had a punk phase in high school.”

(Which was objectively not true - I was into ska)

David and I hit it off immediately. He was new to the city and shared my love for the outdoors, so I planned a surprise hike for our first date. But three days before, while trading dumb jokes, I casually mentioned craving Jeni’s.

“Let me come get you,” he offered.

Meeting someone for the first time with 75% of your face covered is surreal, and it gets stranger when sit six feet apart in a parking lot to safely eat ice cream, lowering your mask 20 minutes into a date to reveal the last barrier between you and… well, I didn't know it then, but my future husband.

David was everything he is now: endearingly quirky and kindhearted. He was even his silly, lovely self on what was supposed to be our real first date—a hike through Doll’s Head Trail. I figured, “Artsy, outdoorsy, West Coast guy? He’ll love this creepy found-art installation hike!”

For over a year, I believed he did—until he admitted it was pure misery. June in Georgia, with its oppressive humidity and relentless mosquitos, is not for the faint of heart. But by then, I’d charmed the pants off him, so he bravely powered through, never letting on how much he was suffering.

But it was that first date where we thought - "Okay, there might be something here. Let's ditch the masks and sit within a foot of one another.' And we did; we laid on my carpet and listened to music for hours, trading off the Spotify app until some god awful late hour. We seem to be in agreement-that was the night everything fell into place.

Your presence at our wedding is the greatest gift we could ask for! If you feel moved to honor us with a gift or cash fund contribution, thank you. We also appreciate donations in our name to the following organizations: Atlanta Center for Contemporary Art or Lost-n-Found Youth