We're Getting Married!

Once upon a time, in the charming city of Manchester, Connecticut, two strangers—Amie, a nurse at St. Francis Hospital, and Derrick, a machine operator with a knack for running the show at a factory in Windsor—lived in the same building, Lofts at the Mills. For months, they passed each other in hallways, in the parking lot, and probably even at the local coffee shop, completely unaware of each other’s existence. Well, mostly unaware… Months before they officially met, Derrick first noticed Amie one freezing morning after a snowy ice storm. He was heading to work when he spotted her trying to crawl through her car’s passenger door because her driver’s side door was frozen shut. Naturally, Derrick asked if she was okay. Amie, mid-contortion into her car, looked up and said, “Yep, all good!” They both went on with their day, but Derrick couldn't help but tell his friends about the cute nurse he saw wrestling her car. Little did he know, fate had more in store. Fast forward to a hot July night. The residents of Lofts at the Mills were rudely awakened when someone decided to pull the fire alarm in the middle of the night (because who doesn't love a late-night fire drill?). Derrick, still half-asleep, frantically searched for his contact lenses, threw on some clothes (probably mismatched), and ran outside. Standing alone in the parking lot, he waited for more people to show up—and for his brain to fully wake up. That’s when she appeared. Amie, now in a less frozen situation, saw Derrick and thought, “This is my moment.” With a confident smile, she walked up to him and said, “Hi, I’m Amie.” Derrick, still adjusting his contacts, looked up, took her hand, and replied, “Hi, I’m Derrick.” And right there, in the middle of a sleepy fire drill, their story began. What followed was a months-long flirt-fest, with plenty of “chance” encounters in the halls and parking lot. Almost a year later, in that same parking lot, Amie decided to make the next bold move. She asked Derrick if he’d like to grab coffee sometime. Derrick, barely containing his excitement, said yes. Their first official date was a long, laughter-filled walk in the park, and from that day on, they were inseparable. Together, they went on joyrides, hit up tag sales, lounged by the pool, and took Amie’s dog on endless adventures. Eventually, they moved into Derrick’s apartment, and not long after, Amie got an exciting job offer in Seattle. Of course, Derrick didn’t hesitate—he packed up and followed her across the country. Then came the moment that changed everything. One magical evening at Lake Quinault in the heart of Olympic National Park, as the sun began to set and cast a golden glow over the water, Derrick got down on one knee and asked Amie to be his forever. (Spoiler alert: She said YES!) And now, here we are. We can’t wait to celebrate with all of you as we tie the knot on June 29th, 2025. Get ready to join us for a day full of love, laughter, and the start of our next great adventure!