I’ve known Presley since our sophomore year of high school. We both attended prom as part of the same friend group junior and senior year, but with different dates. After graduation, Presley went to the University of Arkansas and I went to Hanover College, but we stayed connected —through my random FaceTime calls. Our friendship was strong, but it was during the pandemic that things started to change. We both ended up back home, and I noticed Presley reaching out more, asking if I wanted to hang out. I think we both realized, that our feelings had shifted.

For almost a year, I pursued Presley—patiently, or maybe sometimes impatiently. I didn’t want to rush her into something she wasn’t ready for, but every moment we spent together made it harder to ignore the way my heart felt. It wasn’t until Presley visited me at Hanover College in January of 2021 that she had that “aha” moment. That trip felt like the tipping point for both of us, and January 27th, 2021, we were finally official. From that moment, it felt like everything fell into place—our friendship had transformed into something deeper, something unshakeable. I felt like I’d been waiting for her all along, and when she chose me, it was the easiest decision of my life.

Fast forward nearly four years, and there I was, standing at Portland Head Light in Maine with Presley by my side. It had been a long and beautiful journey, one full of growth, laughter, and a lot of love. We were visiting my friend Sam Crick when I decided to take a leap. I had known for years that Presley was the one, and I couldn’t imagine spending my life with anyone else. When Presley said yes, I realized that no matter where life took us, we’d always have each other.