After the picture all of my friends were heading over to get drinks and get out of the wool uniform we were wearing. Instead, I started looking for Paxton in the crowd to try and introduce myself. I found her standing next to my friend Nick Ruggiere, who was Paxton’s escort, and a senior at the time.

Every year 8 Summerall Guards are chosen to attend the Azalea festival for a week escorting the queens court around Wilmington.

Now even though I obviously could have gained her interest without any problem I talked to nick on the side to have him put in a good word about me. Nick then introduced Paxton to me and I was finally able to have a conversation with her.

Ever since I first saw Paxton during my performance, taking the picture, and after talking to her for the first time, I knew that she would always be a part of my life. (I mean especially since I was able to make such a good impression on her while I was completely bald, I knew when I got my hair back she wouldn’t be able to resist).

A month after the Azalea Festival was graduation at The Citadel for the seniors. I was walking through The Citadel Chapel to sit with my friend’s family to watch his commissioning ceremony, when I heard a familiar voice yell my name (In a church). I looked over and Paxton was standing up waving me over to her. She had come with her friend Lyndsey to watch Nick commission that day. Paxton and I spent the rest of that weekend together. We exchanged numbers before she headed back to Wilmington for the rest of the summer and I left for Marine Corps training.

For the ENTIRE next year I texted Paxton every single day. Always, usually, sometimes, pretty rarely getting a response back from her. Paxton told me early on after we started talking that she was too busy with her pageants, school and other things, she did not want to be in a relationship, which she knew was the only thing I wanted. Over the course of the whole next year texting, calling, and Face-Timing together, I could tell I was finally making a little progress. When it came time for Azalea Festival 2016 I wanted to do everything in my power to earn a spot as one of the 8 Summerall Guards selected to escort the Queens court. I then entered a drill competition in our school, in which I ended up winning, earning me a spot as one of the 8 escorts.

I have to mention that throughout the year between Paxton and I just communicating via phone: her car, her best friends car, and ALL HER friends cars conveniently would die every morning before she was supposed to be visiting. The interesting thing was that Paxton would do this over and over again, coming up with excuses as to why she couldn’t come, for a whole year.

One of my groomsman and best friend from The Citadel, Nick Marin, had the pleasure of watching the circus of Paxton and I for a year straight. He would ask me every single day why I was still talking to her, and every time I told him there’s just something about her man, I know she’s the one.

The turning point was finally at the Azalea Festival in 2016, in which this time Paxton invited me to come visit her before I began my week as an escort at the Azalea Festival. Throughout the Azalea Festival week, I spent every second I wasn’t busy with events with Paxton, and even when the Festival was over I stayed in Wilmington to see her. You will have to ask Paxton what exactly changed her mind about me and being in a relationship, but we have been dating since leaving the Azalea Festival in 2016.

P&R

Wedding Day

4:00 PM

Wedding