October 27, 2022, is the day the trajectory of our lives changed forever. If you rewind a little over a year before that day, you would find two people who just so happened to move into the same apartment complex in Birmingham, Alabama. There are striking similarities between Charlie and Bailey’s story and the great American film, Shrek. Bailey lived on the third floor, her balcony overlooking the parking lot, resembling Princess Fiona in a castle far, far away. Charlie lived on the backside of the first floor, affectionately referred to as “the swamp,” where sunlight was limited. Much like Shrek, it took a full year (and a bit of bravery) for the hero to finally make his move. Bailey noticed Charlie early on—his Sunday mornings spent heading to church, the kindness of his parents, whom she happened to meet in the parking lot, and the fact that his truck was always spotless. Each small detail left an impression. Charlie, meanwhile, admired Bailey from afar, exchanging the occasional friendly “hey, how’s it going?” That nerve finally arrived on Charlie’s 29th birthday. On the drive home from celebrating with family, he thought about a quote from We Bought a Zoo: “Sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage.” He decided that day would be the day. When he pulled into the parking lot, Bailey was sitting on her balcony—as she often was. Just as Charlie worked up the courage to speak, Bailey called out, “Hey, Charlie!” completely catching him off guard. Flustered, he waved, said hello, and walked straight into his apartment—convinced he had missed his moment. But that wasn’t the end of the story. Moments later, Charlie reemerged, pretending he had forgotten something in his truck (in which he grabbed nothing, by the way). With round two officially underway, he looked up at the balcony and asked Bailey out. Their first date was the following Monday—Halloween night—over dinner at The Olive Branch Mediterranean. From there, it was clear this was something different, and the rest truly is history. The next six weeks were filled with conversations on that same back porch where everything began—playing card games, solving riddles, laughing, and having the kind of talks that make time disappear. Soon after, Bailey began nine months of clinical rotations in New Orleans, Phoenix, and Columbus, Ohio. Though distance became part of their story, so did road trips, countless FaceTime calls, late-night conversations, and every opportunity to be together in person. Eventually, the distance shortened—from long-distance, to an hour apart, to just twenty minutes—when Charlie bought his condo in Trussville, Alabama. Early on, Charlie told Bailey he was waiting to say the three magical words—I love you—until the moment truly mattered. And on September 30, 2025, on one knee, he finally said them while asking Bailey to be his wife. These past three years have been more than we ever could have imagined. We are beyond grateful for the love, support, and people who have shaped us along the way—and we cannot wait to celebrate the next chapter of our story with you.