Like all great modern romances, ours began with a swipe. Thanks to Hinge, we connected, started talking, and soon found ourselves on our very first date just three days after my (Ashley's) 21st birthday. What was supposed to be a simple brunch turned into an all-day adventure. We were having such a great time that by the end of the day, Wes had somehow found himself at my birthday dinner, meeting my friends, just hours into knowing each other.

At first, we took things at our own pace, letting our love grow naturally. But we really knew we had something special after spending seven straight days together on a cruise early in our relationship. It turns out, when you're stuck on a boat with someone 24/7, you either drive each other crazy or fall even more in love. Lucky for us, it was the latter.

Fast forward a bit, and we were already making big moves... literally. We bought our first home together, fully embracing our “doing things out of order” approach. (House first, then proposal. Very logical, right?) With the new house came the blending of our little family of cats, one I already had and another I rescued, which Wes insists he only agreed to “foster” at first. (Spoiler: That cat is now very much his.)

Then came the biggest surprise of all. One day after work, Wes met me in the driveway with flowers and told me to pack a bag... except, he had already packed it. He whisked me away to a cozy cabin in Blue Ridge, Georgia, the same place we had celebrated our one-year anniversary. The next evening, after a the nicest dinner at the fanciest restaurant I had ever been to, we returned to the cabin, where I walked in to find roses, candles, and music playing. I was in such shock that it took me a second to process what was happening, especially how Wes had managed to pull off all the decorations while we were out. Turns out my sister and now brother-in-law were in on it and appeared out of the shadows with a camera.

Here we are, living our best life, planning a wedding, and still making each other laugh every day. We can't wait to celebrate this next chapter with all of you!