Annemarie and Brandon met at Seymour Johnson AFB in 2021. Annemarie was stationed there for 6 months where she became Brandon’s supervisor. She quickly realized Brandon didn’t care to have a boss because he lived by his own agenda (you’ll hear about this agenda a lot). So she left him alone to do his own thing; he was pretty intimidating anyway. A few months in, they began talking more and realized that their friendship was exactly what they needed at that point in their lives. Friendship didn’t last long, but it never does when you click with someone the way they did. Number one on Brandon’s agenda was to get his boss out of the office and into the parties. He was 20 and she was 28, so if this was gonna work, she had to prove she could hang. (And she definitely could.) Before you knew it, they started spending every day together. It also didn’t take long for Brandon to feel comfortable enough to start calling out of work “sick”. Except he didn’t actually call; he just rolled over when the alarm went off and said “I’m not coming into work today”. Wait, I thought he was supposed to be the one that could “hang”? Anyway.. It came time for Annemarie to leave and take a new job 3 hours away in Charlotte. Brandon spent weekends on the road to visit her. But his enlistment was coming to an end in a few months and a decision had to be made. What were the chances this would work? Was it smart to dive in and live with each other? Was he really ready to date a woman with two kids at 21? Did they even love each other? The answers were: slim, no, probably not and absolutely. But the answer to the last question was all they needed. So they dove in against all odds and moved in together, but not without some backlash, gossip, trials and doubts. Over the next several months, though, family and friends would see them together and it would all make sense. Long time best friends of the couple made new best friends in the other. Her kids gave the stamp of approval quickly. Everyone meshed together perfectly. It was all better than they imagined. Brandon did have one rule though: he wanted a baby before he was 23. (Remember when I told you about Brandon’s agenda?) Well in July 2023, they got the news they were waiting for. Their first baby together was on his way. And you guessed it…he was due right before Brandon turned 23. It was game time. They found a house out in the country to buy later that year. They were doing everything…a little backwards according to society, but completely normal according to the way they lived their lives. Then on one regular trip back home for their baby shower in February 2024, they decided to get maternity and family photos done. Brandon, (once again on his own agenda) told no one about his plans. In the middle of the photo shoot, without even mentioning it to their photographer, he got down on one knee and asked Annemarie to marry him. There was never hesitation in their relationship before and this moment was certainly no different. It was the easiest yes she ever said (well, at least when she finally got out of shock and remembered she had to answer). And the rest is history. Wedding planning was deferred. They went back and forth a million times, finally deciding to secretly elope to avoid stress and share the moment intimately between themselves. After a few weeks of consideration, after the whole day was booked with a honeymoon to follow, they had a change of heart. They wanted their friends and family to be there to share the intimate moment. Because even when the odds were against them, their loved ones were for them. It only made sense that they should be there to celebrate what an amazing journey it has been from the start. And to kick off the brand new start… this one is no longer just Brandon’s agenda. It’s THEIR agenda. Annemarie’s going back to her roots as the boss and calling the shots. And by shots she means tequila. So pack your bags, grab your passport and get ready to party!