After a week or so of chatting back and forth, we went on our first date on March 11, 2023 at a local restaurant in Jackson, TN. We were both pleasantly surprised by how easy and fun the evening was. Over the next couple of weeks, we were both out of town, Ben to Orlando and Courtney on a cruise, but we managed to talk and text every day. After being apart for only a few days, we realized, to put it simply... we missed each other. Thus began a year-long, long-distance relationship. And aside from a few rare exceptions, we spent every weekend together, splitting time between our homes in Missouri and Tennessee. In May of 2024, we took a family vacation to Isla Mujeres, Mexico. During family photos on the beach, Ben dropped to one knee and proposed, much to Courtney's surprise! We are excited about all that the future holds, and we can't wait to share our wedding day with all of you!