About Ryan:

"My family originates from Virginia. I've lived in San Antonio since 1998. I'm a proud father of 2 beautiful daughters Hailey (13) and Madison (10). I'm a staffing manager at a San Antonio-based staffing agency. I love outdoor hiking, bowling, playing tennis, and catching a movie. I have hopes to travel more, grow and raise a larger family, and make my soon-to-be wife the happiest person on Earth."

About Tamara:

"I was born to young parents who took our little family to Europe shortly afterward. After living in Spain and Germany for a short while, we returned to the states and I spent the majority of my adolescence in Cabot, Arkansas. Life happened and we made our way over to Texas, where I lived in several cities. I graduated from UTSA with a degree in Elementary Education, which I put to good use for several years until I ultimately decided to leave the field and try something new. I've been working for a staffing company ever since, and absolutely love my role there! I have no children, but I do have a sweet (not-quite-a-puppy-but-I-still-call-her-puppy) puppy named Arya, who joined my life in 2019. I have a large, loving family that I couldn't get through life without! I enjoy movies, video games, and musicals. If Ryan says he can beat me in Mario Kart, he's lying. "

How they met:

"I had just moved back to San Antonio from Houston and was looking for my next job opportunity (outside of the Education field). I stumbled across an opening for a local staffing company. After accepting the position, I met the team--Ryan being a stand-out. He impressed me from Day 1 with his skill and work ethic. Ironically, I thought he hated me! He was always very attentive to his work and came off a bit short with me at times. We were both in committed relationships, so I never thought twice about him, romantically. I admired him only as an employee. I would joke that I was his "fangirl"--I always had a strong work ethic, but it came second to his.

About a year later, my relationship began to crumble and, a few months later, I identified as single. Ryan and I began to grow more friendly during our time working together and we realized we had a lot in common. New faces would join our group and they'd ask me, "Why aren't you and Ryan dating? Y'all have so much in common!" I agreed, but I would never pursue someone in a relationship and I wasn't really crazy about the idea of dating a co-worker.

Eventually, his relationship came to an end. About a week later he was asking me out on our first date!

The rest is history :)"

The proposal:

"After spending day after day together during the great San Antonio freeze in February 2021, with no electricity and limited water, you start to realize that the woman going through it right there with you is certainly the woman you want to be with when her joyful company, warm beautiful eyes, and spunky personality can make you forget about hell freezing over outside. I knew at the moment I had to do my best to keep such an amazing woman and that I would never find someone else that would love and put up with me as she did. I started searching for rings right away, but it took months to actually feel like I was purchasing the perfect symbol of the love and dedication I was dying to commit myself to.

With the ring chosen, I wanted to find a romantic occasion to "pop the question." I had remembered my promise to take us on a beach trip. Our 1 year anniversary was also coming up in August which seemed like a wonderful moment to get down on one knee. We traveled to the gulf and landed ourselves a beautiful condo on the beach. After a delicious candle-lit dinner we kicked off our shoes and went for a stroll down the beach just before sunset.

I began to feel nervous as I gripped her hand in mine walking past loud beachfront restaurants filled with vacationers as live music from the establishments echoed through the sea air. The waves crashed against the sands next to us. We ventured to a part of the shoreline that was quiet, desolate, and calm. I suddenly started to realize the sun would soon dive into the horizon and it may be too dark to see a thing! I knew that it was time. I took a deep breath, stopped our pace, and looked straight into her gorgeous eyes. I regained my confidence as my hands began to tremble a bit. I told Tamara that this year was truly the greatest year of my life. That I had no idea that it was this possible to be so happy. Not just all at once today, but perpetually every day since our relationship began exactly one year ago today on our first date. The last twelve months have been surreal. I thanked God for this incredible romantic relationship and I am not sure why I was given the privilege to be in her life, but I have been through enough to know that I wouldn't get a woman like her ever again. I proudly bent down my knee into the wet sand as the water pushed into me and I pulled out the ring I had hoped would take her breath away. I said a few other things, but I'll digress. I asked her if she would let me have the honor of being her husband for the rest of our lives. My prayers were answered and she said yes without a single hesitation. The kind of yes that is said once, but rings through your mind and wraps tightly around your heart.

We slowly walked back to our condo where I had champagne on ice waiting to celebrate our new joyful event. Turns out she couldn't see the ring at all and said yes anyway! That's my beauty, I could have given her a gumball ring and she didn't give it a second thought. Giving me yet another reason to love her as ardently as I already did. She loved the ring by the way! Thank God."

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