Some love stories begin with grand gestures, but theirs started with late-night laughter over the All Star Special and a dive bar pool match. Sam and Aspen met at a party in Dallas, Texas—Aspen's home-state—where she noticed Sam from across the room. He was tall, handsome, and had this magnetic energy that made her think, who is that?? That night, fate (and a craving for greasy diner food) led them to Waffle House at 2 AM with two of their friends, Lindsay Zabransky & Luke Rockwell. They laughed for hours, effortlessly falling into the kind of easy, natural connection that makes time disappear. There was the red flag that Sam went to OU and Aspen went to Texas, but even that couldn't stop what was meant to be. After a few more chance encounters at parties, Sam finally asked for Aspen's number, and for their first date, he took her to his favorite dive bar in Dallas—Lakewood Landing. They played pool for hours, queuing up bluegrass music on the jukebox until 1 AM on a Tuesday night. The rules were simple: loser bought shots and quesadillas. Sam's a pro at hunting, fishing, and fixing just about anything—but when it came to pool that night, Sam met his match. Aspen won every game, and he paid up! From that night on, they were inseparable. For Aspen, Sam was an answered prayer, the kind of person she'd always hoped to find. They each had a feeling early on: This is it. He/She is the one. Over five years later, they’ve learned that love isn’t just about passion or perfect moments—it’s about partnership. Through life’s highs and lows, they’ve become a team. Early on, Sam said something that has stuck with Aspen ever since: “We are a team. I am on your side. We can do it together.” Growing up, Aspen's dad instilled in her that their family was a team, and all she ever wanted was to build a team of her own. With Sam, she has that. She has a teammate for life - a winner at that!