We're getting married!

Anissa and Pierce met in June of 2017 at Park Tavern in Delray Beach. What began as a night of casual drinks turned into longer conversation and connections. After a few successful dates, their relationship took the next logical step of Anissa going on a 3-week vacation and Pierce accepting a job on the other side of the state. As their first summer together ended, they were presented with a difficult decision for a new couple: Ask Anissa to uproot her life in South Florida and join Pierce on the west coast, or try long distance (A "Hard No" from Anissa), or agree to part ways. After helping Pierce with the moving process, it became clear that parting ways was a "Hard No" from him as well. Keeping with tradition, Anissa and Pierce approached the process of moving-in together backwards. First living together for 3 months while Anissa found a new job and apartment, then apart for a year, immediately followed by sharing a new apartment in downtown Tampa. Their first year was full of new friends, old friends, family and trips to Michigan. Their relationship was put to the ultimate test in the fall of 2018 with the sudden loss of Pierce's father, Steve Wright. Their lives turned upside down in an instant, Pierce and Anissa leaned on each other and grew even closer. After a year in downtown Tampa, the 700 square foot apartment life had worn them down and it was time for a change. Not wanting to move too far from downtown or their favorite taco joint, Anissa and Pierce found a small home in the Armory Gardens neighborhood of South Tampa. They are looking forward to taking the obvious next big step in their relationship...a puppy!

The story of Anissa and Pierce’s engagement starts how many proposals often start, with a “Grand Plan”. From the second that Pierce decided he was going to ask Anissa to marry him, he knew right where he wanted it to happen, at the top of Mt. Hollywood in Los Angeles. Years before, on a trip to California as a new couple, they had made the last minute decision to hike the mountain as a way to work-in some outdoor time. By the time they reached the summit and got to the 360 degree views, Pierce knew that that day, and that place would be meaningful. Fast forward to early 2020, Anissa had been dropping subtle engagement ring quizzes such as “Would I like this?” or “Tell me why I hate this”. Pierce took the hint and kicked everything into high gear. Within no-time Pierce had a ring, a plan and nothing could derail him...except for that whole global pandemic thing. Like so many people around the world, COVID took Pierce’s plans and told him to take a hike….and put a mask on. Frantically trying to piece together another plan, Pierce racked his brain for meaningful places and people to try and create the right moment. After two months and two more failed plans, the ring was starting to burn a hole in his pocket. Luckily, Anissa and Pierce had postponed a weekend getaway from their anniversary in June, leaving Pierce an opportunity to get creative. On an trip earlier that year, Pierce had played golf on Amelia Island in northeast Florida and was immediately taken back to the marshy coastlines of his youth in South Carolina. Primed with a new opportunity to make plans, Pierce recalled the beauty of that morning and knew that it would be a perfect spot for the most important question of his life. A few sly discussions with an unsuspecting Anissa later and the two were booked for a romantic weekend away at the beach.

The day of the proposal rolls around and Pierce has secretly taken off of work to finalize some arrangements with the hotel as was worried his newest “Grand Plan” would fall flat on its face. The first hint of trouble came on the cross state drive when the first severe weather advisory came across Pierce’s phone, a somber notification to receive when 2 hours removed from an outdoor proposal. Once at the hotel, Pierce had to create several “diversions” to leave the room and sprint through the rain and lightning around the hotel grounds to finish his setup. His final diversion left Anissa frantically looking around the hotel valet for the cab Pierce had “allegedly” called, only to see him pull up in a golf cart, ready to take her away towards more surprises. Once in the cart, the frustration of the turbulent weather turned to excitement, as the clouds began to clear and reveal the sunset. The sunlight broke just over the tops of the sea grass as they approached the 17th tee, shining light on a bottle of champagne waiting for them. As they walked towards the champagne, Anissa began to hear the clicks of a camera shutter and she suspected this was a bit more than a nice gesture on an anniversary trip. Pierce could barely get down on one knee before the question came spilling out of his mouth. In place of the traditional “Yes” was an outpouring of emotion from Anissa, pent up from the previous year’s struggle and grief. Through tears and smiles, Anissa managed to give Pierce the answer he’d been awaiting for almost a year. Yes. Amidst the champagne, laughs, and poses for the camera, Pierce noticed that a rainbow had fully formed overhead. It brought back memories of the rainbow that formed over his father’s golf course the morning following his passing and served as a father’s blessing on his son’s new future. Pierce and Anissa shared that beautiful moment as they basked in the light of a Florida sunset, and the joy of a new engagement.