They met in college, 2014 - he was at Arizona State University, she was at Grand Canyon University. Two different schools, two different lives, and somehow, one shared path.

It all started thanks to mutual friends who, whether they knew it or not, introduced something meant to last.

Their first date was unforgettable... and not in the way most people would hope.

He was late - not a few minutes, but over an hour. It was his brother’s birthday, time slipped away, nerves got the best of him.

She stood outside at AMC Westgate, waiting. Waiting for someone she barely knew.

And she stayed.

She could’ve walked away. Most people would have. But she didn’t.

That was the first of many times she chose patience, chose grace, and chose him - even before he knew how to fully choose her back.

What followed wasn’t a perfect love story. Not at first.

They dated on and off over the years. Life happened. Mistakes were made. Distance was created. But so was something else: growth.

Through every “almost,” every “not yet,” she remained steady. And little by little, he began to realize that she wasn’t just someone - she was the one.

In 2021, he asked her to be his girlfriend.

It may have taken years, but the timing was finally right.

And from that day forward, things just… fit.

The laughs were deeper, the connection stronger, and the love more certain than ever.

Then came her birthday in 2022 - a day he’d been planning in secret for weeks.

He arranged a quiet weekend getaway, just the two of them.

He asked her parents for their blessing that very day.

They said yes.

They checked into a cozy suite at McCormick Ranch in Scottsdale. Had dinner at Houston’s. Went to the movies - because it’s always been their favorite escape. It's where their story truly began.

And then came the moment.

Back at the hotel, beneath a sky lit by string lights and a full moon, in a quiet courtyard warmed by a fireplace, he turned on music and asked her to dance.

Just the two of them, moving slowly, letting time pause.

Then, with his heart racing, he told her to close her eyes.

And when she did, he got down on one knee.

He asked her to be his forever.

She burst into tears.

She never actually said “yes” - but she took the ring.

And that was all he needed.

Since that night, life has felt like a dream - not a perfect one, but a real one. One they’ve chosen to build together, through everything.

Every lesson. Every laugh. Every late night. Every slow dance.

Now, they’re here. Planning the day they say “I do.”

Not because they’ve never faced hardship, but because they have - and still chose each other every time.

This love story isn’t just about how they met.

It’s about how they stayed.

And about how excited they are for what’s next.

To him, the only thing he’s ever asked of her is this:

Outlive me. So I never have to live another day without you.

Because now, there’s no more “you” and “I.”

There’s only us.

Until infinity and beyond.

S&A