We're getting married!

At 19 I made a move from Asheville NC to Daytona Beach Florida where I worked a few different jobs and was going to school full time. I was obviously not 21 yet so the majority of the nightlife in Daytona/Smyrna was legally off limits and the easiest way to meet people was through the plethora of dating apps out there so I downloaded Tinder. After many swipes and a few not so successful dates I came across Alex. She was a tan little beauty based out of new Smyrna and I was a big meathead fresh out of highschool sports and powerlifting with very little perspective or direction. Almost certain that I was being catfished I reluctantly gave her my phone number and we began texting and eventually setup a date to meet. Mini golf at Pirates Cove in Daytona. We must have gotten some wires crossed because theres quite a few mini golf spots in Daytona and we both ended up at different ones. I waited patiently until about 15 minutes after we were set to meet and gave her a call, certain at this point that I was being catfished or stood up. Turns out she had gone to another course and was on her way to me thank god. After being embarrassingly destroyed in golf (its ok it was never my forte anyway), we headed to none other than ihop for a classy latenight dinner. I proceeded to eat two entire entrees of food while alex had nothing. Overall we didn’t have a bad night but we were that cliché of “the right people at the wrong time”. We hit it off but not enough for a second date. I was young and dumb and had much to learn about the ways of the world and how to win a womans heart and mind and she had too great a life for me to fill any missing holes at the time. Fast forward five years and Alex had her 30th birthday party with friends which carried with it a retro 90s theme. She posted the pictures on her social media and she looked too damned cute for me to not comment on them so of course I did. That one conversation turned into hour long phone calls which turned into a 8 hour car ride down to the beach for me where I learned that it was now the right time for both of us and we were still the right people. I met her amazing boss abby and took part in her work Christmas party which was a blast though we were hesitant to go as a couple as we were still getting to know each other. I ended up being the only male in attendance save for one other guy who worked at the spa. A room full of curious and very energetic women. Since that day I have known she was my person as we fell drunkenly on the floor after ubering home and proceeded to laugh our butts off. Our story is full of ups and downs as is everyone else’s I suppose and we have had our good times and our bad but she is the one that I would want to face them all with. In 2023 I (Cody) being the wonderful guy that I am surprised her by having her closest friends fly down and be a part of a special beach trip where I proposed to her. I blacked out as did she and it was a very emotional time for everyone. After leaving the beach we had a big engagement party with more of her close friends and family where she cried even more (Twice in one day-I must be doing something right). And the rest, as they say, is history. A long and stressful year of wedding planning and gathering vendors and venues and addresses and mailing invites etc. and here we are- a few short months from the big day! Cant wait to make her a wife and a mother!