I'm usually not the one to put together a super corny post, but I'm happy to tell our story, so for anyone who doesn't already know it, see below :)

Unbelievably, Steve and I [Sofia] were neighbors in our old apartment building! We would see each other passing by in our apartment building from time to time, but neither of us had really said more than "hi" or "how are you?" until one cold February night where some idiot set off the fire alarm in our building (making Mac n' Cheese in the microwave).

Everyone was standing outside waiting for the Fire Department to come to stop the incessant ringing of the alarms, but that would take over forty minutes for them to determine the root of the problem. I was standing outside in a coat and flip-flops with wet hair after having frantically rushed out of the shower when I saw my friendly neighbor and started up a conversation. Steve was kind and entertaining, and we talked on and on until we were finally allowed back into the building.

We went up the elevator together when we realized we were on the same floor, only one door apart! Steve ended up asking me out for a drink. Unfortunately, I was in a relationship at the time (which fortunately wouldn't last much longer), so I had to regretfully decline.

Sometime after, I caught myself continually thinking about Steve and what a great guy he was, wishing the stars would've aligned for us. It was months and then weeks until I finally saw him again, but he was always too far away from me to call out his name or I was walking by on the phone, missing the opportunity to strike up another conversation.

I had just about given up hope on ever going out with him when I ran into him in the stairwell in late October that same year. I nervously expressed that I was now single and would like to take him up on that date offer if it still stood. (I knew it was a big ask, considering if we did decide to go out with each other and it didn't work out, one of us would probably have to move!) Surprised but excited, he told me he would like that.

I gave him my number, and he texted me right away. Not wanting to waste any more time, he asked me to take a walk along the boardwalk with him the next day. His energy was infectious, and I couldn't believe what I had been missing out on for months. We were basically inseparable after our first week of dating, and within a month, we both knew we had met our soulmate. Flash-forward to almost 3 years later, here we are getting to celebrate the best day of our lives with you all!

Thank you for taking the time to read this :)