Hello! We are Sam and Kaitlin, and we’re thrilled to share our big day with you! From the very start, we felt something special, and we can't wait to take you through the journey of how it all began…

Once upon a time, not so far away, Sam was starting his fourth year at Central High School as a teaching assistant. One of his coworkers mentioned that a friend from high school was about to join the team at Central. Naturally, Sam’s curiosity was piqued, and he asked all the usual questions you ask about a new coworker: “Is she cute?” “Is she single?”

And then, one day, Sam saw her—this breathtakingly beautiful person—walking by his classroom. He had to know who she was. Sam found out she’d be in the copy room, so he found an excuse to go there too. As he entered the room, there she was, sitting with other staff. Playing it cool, Sam chatted with people he knew while glancing at Kaitlin. He introduced himself, careful not to seem too eager.

A few weeks passed, and Sam and Kaitlin quickly became friends, bonding over their love for the students. Sam found himself falling for her, fast. What stood out most to him was Kaitlin’s sense of humor. They laughed together every day, making even the toughest workdays much more enjoyable. Little did Sam know, two of his coworkers, DJ Smith, and Allison Collins, had been talking him up to Kaitlin, encouraging her to give him a chance. They also nudged Sam to ask Kaitlin out, which he finally worked up the nerve to do.

Sam planned something casual for their first date—a walk with his dog in Oak Ridge. When Kaitlin left that day, Sam knew he wanted to see her again. The next day, he invited her over to watch a movie. And once again, as soon as she left, Sam was already thinking about how to spend more time with her. Knowing that Kaitlin was a huge Taylor Swift fan, Sam surprised her with tickets to the Eras Tour…movie. They had a blast, and from there, their time together only grew.

They spent their days walking, watching movies, going out to eat, and window shopping—laughing and falling in love with each moment. Finally, on October 11th, 2023, Sam built up the courage to ask Kaitlin to be his girlfriend. She said yes! From that day on, their relationship was filled with laughter, a few tears, and so much joy.

By May 2024, as the school year came to an end, Sam and Kaitlin decided it was time to take the next step and move in together. After some searching, they found the perfect place and began building their life together.

Sam had known from the beginning that Kaitlin was special and being with her just felt right. By June, he had already bought the ring, waiting for the perfect moment to propose. As their one-year anniversary in October approached, Sam knew it was time. He had already spoken to her family and gotten their blessing.

On their anniversary, Sam took Kaitlin back to one of their favorite spots from when they first started dating. As they reached the place, Sam gathered the courage once again, got down on one knee, and asked Kaitlin to marry him. Without hesitation, she said yes!

And that brings us too today. We are beyond excited to celebrate this special day with all of you and are deeply grateful for your love and support. We can’t wait to see what the future holds as we embark on this journey together!

S&K