Alex and Kelly met at University of North Carolina at Wilmington during sophomore year. They both played on the school's club ultimate frisbee team. When Kelly was leaving her 8 am anatomy and physiology class, she would always say "Hi, Turbo!" to Alex while he was coming in for his Biodiversity biology class. They did not become close friends until December of the following year when they were spending time with Alex's friend Miles. Little did Alex and Kelly know then that that friendship was far more. They each went away for winter break, Kelly to Costa Rica to celebrate her brother, Andrew's college graduation, and Alex to Belize for study abroad. They had planned for their first date to be the first day each of them got home from vacation. Kelly's effort to make it to the date was great, in that she took a bus, plane, and 7 hour car ride, all with food poisoning, just to make it back in time for their date of roller skating and a seafood dinner.

Alex and Kelly were in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea for their annual scuba trip. It was 30 degrees Fahrenheit and raining while they walked the beaches and Kelly wished so much that they could go home where it was a beautiful day. Their scuba dive with sharks got cancelled as did many of their other plans, and while they were both disappointed, Alex was especially nervous, knowing what he had planned. As the week went on, the weather improved slightly, and Alex announced that he had an anniversary dinner planned to celebrate 6 years together. They both got ready, and on the car ride over, Kelly knew something was going on because Alex was playing the steering wheel drum a little harder than he usually did. They arrived early for their reservation and decided to go walk down to the beach while they waited. Alex said he had a gift, which was a book of photographs and memories. The last pages were photos of Alex in an unfamiliar workshop working on a project she did not recognize. When Kelly turned to ask what it was, Alex was down on one knee asking for Kelly to marry him. The project in question was Alex making the wedding ring with the help of a jeweler. Kelly was absolutely amazed at Alex's handiwork (as always), and especially impressed that he remembered she mentioned "It would be way more special and memorable if you made something instead of buying some over-the-top gaudy ring." Completely in awe of the ring, Kelly did not realize, until Alex pointed out, that both sets of parents, James, Joanne, Rose, and Pat, were all on the balcony of the restaurant cheering them on. They went inside and enjoyed a lovely dinner, including Kelly applying her press-on nails at the dinner table. They went on to have a wonderful weekend full of golf, scuba, spending time with extended family, and celebrating being engaged!