Most love stories don’t begin in a fluorescent-lit stockroom, surrounded by cardboard, bubble wrap, and an unreasonable number of motivational signs that say “Live Laugh Love.” But ours did.

It was an early morning at HomeGoods, the kind of day that felt like a shrug—nothing special, just another shipment of wall décor. I had been working there for a few months, and Thomas just over a year.

We unwrapped frames side by side for the next couple of months, chatting about everything and nothing. He had this way of turning small talk into something genuine. I found out he loved Post Malone and Angels & Airwaves, and that he was going to Journeyman Lineman school at Delgado.

One day, Thomas asked me if I liked Sushi. Assuming he was going to ask me out on a date, I excitedly said "yes" only for him to nod his head and smile. I was bummed to say the least. Later, I worked up the courage to ask him for his number myself, which he gave me, and he finally asked me out on that sushi date.

For us, it wasn’t love at first sight. It was love at first unboxing.

Wedding Party