We met on February 3rd, 2020, when Chris stopped by the communications office on Ansley’s first day working for Senator Rubio. As Chris walked away from her desk, Ansley remembers briefly thinking to herself, “What if that was my husband?” That was the first time Chris stopped by to chat with Ansley, but little did we know how much of a regular occurrence it would become.  A month or so later, Covid struck, and our lives were put on pause. Ansley stuck out much of the pandemic Clorox-wiping groceries and wearing germ-resistant gloves with her family in Georgia, while Chris was in DC doing quite the opposite and helping save small businesses. When the communications team returned to the office, Chris invited Ansley to a frowned-upon gathering at his, Nick's, and Brock's house in Arlington, VA. Covid-paranoid Ansley turned him down.  Fast-forward to 2021, Chris’s desk encounters increased, so much so that other colleagues began to notice. Ansley insisted they were just friends, but one coworker (shout out Sarah Wood) went as far as to say, “his eyes say he’s in love with you.” Ansley did notice the sparkle in his eyes.  November 2021, we were both traversing the state of Florida for a series of Veterans’ Day work events. When in Tampa, Ansley impromptu invited Chris to join her for a drink at her dad’s work event (yes, Ansley’s dad was in town!). As fate would have it, Chris met his future father-in-law that night. The next day, in Miami, we were at a bar with our coworker, Sarah. After a drink, Sarah made up a reason she had to leave, leaving the two of us alone. That night, the tables finally turned, and Ansley invited Chris to a party she and her roommate, Lauren, were hosting the coming weekend. And the rest was history! (ish) Shortly after the party, we had our first **official** date at Pearl Dive in DC and spent the better part of three days together. We were well on our way to falling in love. As the holiday season rolled around, and we FaceTimed each other from different countries, there was no denying the connection that we shared.  In January 2022, Ansley was bursting at the seams, trying to hold back from saying, “I love you,” fearing it was too soon. On Chris’s 26th birthday, after a couple of cocktails, Ansley professed her love, and to her excitement, Chris felt the same way. Throughout the rest of the year, our bond grew closer through a trip to Chris’s step-sister Aubrey’s wedding to her husband Alex, Easter at Ansley’s family home in Georgia, a trip to Florida, Ansley’s first-time bass fishing in Maine, and FaceTiming our way through the 2022 election season.  2023 was a big year for us. Our love grew stronger through many experiences, notably, several Sundays spent at Whole Foods and Chris's cooking. In each other, we found our soulmates.  At last, on July 26th, 2024, Chris got down on one knee at a bed and breakfast an hour outside of DC in Virginia’s wine country. Chris planned the perfect moment, and Ansley’s best friend Lauren was there (hiding in the bushes) to capture it.  We are so excited about the life ahead of us, and we can’t wait to welcome you to Charlottesville to celebrate with you. We are so grateful for each of you and the moments we have shared together. We can’t wait to tie the knot surrounded by our loved ones. Thank you for being a part of our love story.