It was a cold January morning at Balter Beerworks, a restaurant in Knoxville, TN. The manager, Richard, walked over to me at the host stand and told me that we had someone new starting that day- and that I'd be showing them the ropes. This excited me as I have always loved meeting new people and training. I went about my tasks, and a few minutes later, the cutest thing I had ever seen walked over and said “Hi, I’m Ellie!” From that moment, I knew I was going to marry that girl. Is all of that true? Maybe! I don’t remember a single detail from the day we met, but I’m sure it went something like that. And she certainly felt the same way too! ;) Ellie and I loved working together. Every morning, I'd check the schedule to see if she was on it--especially during the busiest shifts. She had a work ethic and a positive attitude that would make me laugh through the chaos and enjoy every moment at work. The friends we met at Balter were amazing, and we would spend countless hours after work, hanging out, and exploring Knoxville. Though, as time went on, I would seem to ask if Ellie was coming a little bit more than the others. Eventually, the group hangouts became just the two of us spending time together. We’d talk about work, our families, and our futures. I even got a Thanksgiving invite from Grandmommie. Through struggles and stress of life in general, both of us were quick to encourage each other and give hope that a happier future was out there. By this point, saying that I had a crush on Ellie was an understatement, but I hid it really well. (Don’t ask Ellie if she knew, she didn’t, I promise.) However, the entire Balter staff soon was encouraging us to date and watching our every move! With the encouragement of our friends and my subtle courting, we soon started spending most of our free time together. Whether it was as friends or something more was yet to be determined, but it was an absolute joy, nonetheless. She was even invited to meet my parents in Baltimore where she proceeded to trust fall backwards and fall on the floor in complete view of my family. I am now always ready for a trust fall moment! Frustrated with our “situationship,” I was determined to make things official. On March 15th, 2023, I asked her to be my girlfriend at the Mote Aquarium pier in Sarasota, Florida. As I’m sure anyone who knows Ellie knows that she is an absolute ray of sunshine. An Energizer Bunny of encouragement and positivity that just radiates. Every minute with her as been the greatest joy of my life and I knew from our earliest encounters that she’d be someone I could spend the rest of my life with. Ellie was accepted into Vanderbilt University in the spring of 2023 to pursue her masters in counseling. It was probably the scariest moment of my life. Would I lose such an amazing girl just 6 months later? Thankfully, we decided to move to Nashville together and take on this new chapter of our lives together. Now, Nashville is where we call home. Ellie and I have always dreamed about getting married and we always knew it would be to each other since becoming friends back in Knoxville. After Ellie finished her first year of graduate school, I could not wait any longer to propose! I proposed in Knoxville on September 13th, 2024 inside the Sunsphere with all of our closet friends at the bottom cheering us on. It was the perfect spot to propose as all of our friends from college, Knoxville, Nashville, Mobile, Maryland, etc. were able to join us for a celebratory meal at the one and only Balter Beerworks! We could not be more excited! Ellie will finish her master's degree from Vanderbilt and I will graduate from Middle Tennessee State University in May 2026. While we are unsure what the future holds, we are beyond thankful to have each other. There is no one else I’d rather be on this journey with. Both, Ellie and I, cannot wait to share our special day with each of you!