Like many modern love stories, ours started with a swipe. We met on Tinder, exchanged a few shy messages, and soon enough, on July 21st 2021, Evan was pulling up to Asheley’s house for our very first date. We went to On the Border Mexican Restaurant; a casual spot that turned out to be the perfect backdrop for two slightly nervous people figuring each other out. We were both a little shy at first, but it didn’t take long before the conversation started flowing and the nerves gave way to laughter and curiosity. After dinner, Evan took Asheley back roading, a quiet drive that gave us the chance to talk more, away from the noise. That time in the car, just the two of us and the open road, helped us connect in a way that felt easy and natural. As the night ended, Evan asked the question that made it clear this was just the beginning: “So… when’s the next date?” One week later, we had our answer. Looking back now, it’s hard to believe how far we’ve come. Neither of us could’ve imagined that a simple dinner and a drive would lead to building a life together; a home, a love, and now, a marriage. Four years later, here we are, still choosing each other every day.

On our one-year anniversary, Evan took Asheley to Valley Water Mill Park and Trails in Springfield, Missouri; a peaceful, scenic spot that felt just right for the occasion. What Asheley didn’t know was that this wasn’t just a walk in the park. The proposal came as a complete surprise. Evan, nervous but determined, began telling Asheley how much his life had changed since the day they met, how meeting her brought something different, something better, and that he wanted to make it a forever kind of thing. There wasn’t a ring in that moment; it had been ordered, but hadn’t arrived in time. Still, Evan dropped to one knee, visibly shaking and sweating (which somehow made the moment even sweeter), and asked the biggest question of his life. With no hesitation, Asheley said “yes” full of butterflies, excitement, and total certainty that she was saying yes to her favorite person in the world. Though friends and family already knew the plan, it was just the two of us in that special moment; a quiet, perfect beginning to forever.