Taylor and Hugh grew up down the street from each other in Watkinsville, Georgia. However, they didn't start dating until they were living nearly a thousand miles apart.

The pair became great friends in high school marching band, with Taylor playing saxophone and Hugh on drumline. After graduating, though, they took different paths for a time.

Hugh left Watkinsville to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, beginning the path toward his long-held dream of serving as a United States Army officer. Meanwhile, Taylor stayed in Athens to pursue her undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Georgia while teaching piano and running a photography business.

In December of 2018, Taylor was finishing up her master's degree at UGA. Hugh was living in Texas by now, having been assigned to the 3rd Cavalry Regiment at Fort Hood as his first duty assignment, but was home for the holidays. So when Taylor hosted a Christmas party for the old high school crowd, he was an obvious invite.

It was at this party that Hugh and Taylor reconnected. They talked a lot over the coming months, and in April, he invited her to attend an Army ball as his date. This marked the "official" start of their relationship.

Of course, things were long distance from the beginning. Hugh stayed in Texas for a few years before being assigned to the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Meanwhile, Taylor continued building her piano studio in Athens, Georgia. The miles never meant too much, though—even when Hugh was deployed to Poland for nine months in response to the invasion of Ukraine, the couple kept one another close at heart.

Five years in, though, it's time to finally close the distance. Taylor and Hugh can't wait to begin their married life together, sharing dreams, goals, and—at last—a home.