We met on Hinge in September of 2021. Online dating was something I (Abbie) had refused for years to do, but on a whim, and with the encouragement of my friend (and now bridesmaid) Ardyn, I created a profile, and one of the first people I met was Ryan.

Well, we messaged about books and movies and what it means to be a good friend for about a month before meeting on FaceTime. On which Ryan immediately revealed his goofy side by answering the call wearing a Goofy (like the Disney character) hat. After a few more weeks of FaceTime calls, we decided to meet halfway between Knoxville and Chattanooga, in Athens, TN, for our first date at a farmer’s market.

Ryan was so excited about the date that he had planned that he forgot to do much research on the market. It was pretty much just a big, dark shed deep in the woods with religious tracts all over the wall. We walked around and tried to make conversation about vegetables for a while, before going to a nearby bowling alley, where the lane broke several times and Ryan beat me by a very wide margin, all the while apologizing profusely both to me and to the employees at the bowling alley he had to ask to fix the lane. The ice cream shop Ryan had planned to take me to was closed for the season and it took us 30 minutes to drive around and find somewhere else to sit and talk.

That first date was wonky and endearing in the best way possible, and it solidified the overall personality of our relationship from there forward.

We dated long distance for a year and a half before Ryan moved to Cleveland in March of 2023. Between downtown dates, trivia nights, trips, and cozy days reading together on the couch, we have decided this is what we want to do, together, for the rest of our lives. We are so excited for our wedding and are so thankful for the love and support of our friends and family as we embark on this new journey!