On June 6th 2020, As the pandemic was slowly coming to an end- my girlfriends and I were dying to go to Central City Tavern in Downtown Alpharetta. Little did I know that my husband was also at Central City Tavern on that night. On the lawn at Central City- our two groups were standing near each other but had not crossed paths. I heard this guy scream across the lawn over at my friend group- so naturally I went over to the group to see what was up. As I approached this group of guys and there was someone who caught my eye. That guy was Matthew. We immediately started talking and couldn’t stop. The conversation flowed like we knew each other our whole lives. As we were getting lost in conversation I could hear my friends screaming across the lawn that our ride was here to take us home. I knew at that moment that I needed his information so we could continue our conversation. I turned to Matthew and said “I know what I want. Can I please have your number?” We exchanged numbers and went on our own way.

After that night we texted briefly throughout the week- and Matthew planned our first date the following Thursday. I was so excited about this first date- and not even in the slightest bit nervous. We got to the Roof top bar and everything flowed so effortlessly and I felt like we’ve known each other our whole lives. We then realized that we didn’t want this date to end- and to get some dinner. As the waitress approached us to get our drink order she also asked- how long we had been dating for. We laughed and said that this was our first date. That moment confirmed my feeling that I had something special with Matthew.

As the summer was coming to an end- We started discussing what our plans were for going back to school and what we were going to do to make long distance work. It was never a question of how or “having to” it was always we are going to do whatever, to make our relationship work. We embraced the paths and plans that God had for us and we put it in God’s hands. For two years, Matthew and I would take turns visiting each other in Charleston and Athens while we finished school. From beach days in Charleston to Game Days in Athens- those weekends when we would be together, made every mile we were apart worth it. I always used to think the saying “Distance makes the heart grows fonder” was said by someone who didn’t have a loved one that was hundreds of miles away. The miles apart did make our hearts grow fonder and made us realize how wonderful it is to miss someone this much. When we finally graduated, my long-distance countdown hit zero and we were finally going to be 6 miles away. As we started our Careers, traveled, and grew together, I knew that I never wanted to experience anything without Matthew and he was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

Matthew planned a surprise trip to The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. Little did Matthew know that in 2019, when my mom, sister and I were staying at the same hotel visiting the Biltmore, I prayed for my future husband and that I would meet him soon. And on June 15th, my prayer from December 3rd, 2019 was answered. Matthew decided that we needed to take a little stroll on a hill. And from the 4 years that we have been together he has never suggested a stroll. We got up to the top of the Hill and you could see the Biltmore Estate and there was not a single person there- it was so beautiful. Matthew got down on one knee and I couldn’t hear a word he was saying because I was so captivated by him and the start of the rest of our lives. This is just the beginning of our beautiful story, and I can’t wait to wait to see what God has in store for the rest of the chapters in our lives as Husband and Wife.

Our story begins at Central City Tavern in Downtown Alpharetta June of 2020, shortly after the pandemic lockdown eased in Georgia. It was a Saturday evening when both of us decided to enjoy a night out with our respective groups of friends. Outside on the lawn, two of our friends struck up a conversation, and then Payton joined in. We began talking, and as Payton would describe it, our "banter" was exceptional. Amid a circle of friends, our conversation stood out, making it feel like we were the only two people there. Payton, being the strong woman she is, asked for my number, a detail she often reminds me of. She initiated the first move, and then I did the rest, marking the beginning of our love story.

Our first date was incredible, checking all the boxes for me, to the point where the waitress assumed we had been together for years. On my drive home, I couldn't resist calling my friend Jarrett to tell him that I had met "the one." It turns out I was right.

As summer ended, Payton needed to return to College of Charleston. Despite the distance, we chose to pursue a long-distance relationship. After two years of road trips and being far apart, our bond grew even stronger. We became inseparable and deeply in love. Both of us began our careers while continuing to be each other’s support system. We traveled together and enjoyed life, always with the goal of marriage in mind.

Fast forward to 2024, I finally mustered the courage to start planning a proposal. I took her father out to dinner to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage. There was an abundance of lobster morsels and tears (Sorry Gordon).

This relationship was everything I had ever hoped and prayed for; I had indeed found my soulmate. I then organized a trip to The Biltmore Estate and selected the perfect location and time. On the much-anticipated day, despite trying to stay composed, I was more nervous than ever before. With the ring in my pocket, I drove us to the hill where I planned to propose, overlooking the estate. As Payton can confirm, we rode in silence the entire way, with me saying nothing throughout the journey. When we reached the top of the hill, I got down on one knee—without another soul in sight—and asked the most significant question of my life. Truthfully, I do not recall if she actually said yes. The photographers remarked that they had never seen a more idyllic day for a proposal, almost as if it were divinely ordained. Now, as we prepare for our wedding, our story continues, ready to embrace whatever God has in store for us.