A friend of Tamara's from graduate school suggested that they hit up a theme night at a local nightclub, Emerald City. Turned out that Ben was working there as a security guard and bar back at the time. Despite Tamara's best efforts to try and blend in with the wall (shocking, I know... but she's actually quite introverted in public, especially when dressed for theme nights), after making eye contact a couple times, Ben approached the table and introduced himself. Although the conversation that night was quite brief, the connection was unmistakable and genuine. Ben quickly became a solid fixture in not only Tamara's Pensacola social circle but also the family. That next year featured many day trips with Tamara’s daughters and events with friends until Ben had to leave for college in Ft. Lauderdale in 2013.

Some years and several heartbreaks later for both, and Ben and Tamara reconnected thanks to social media and an Adam Levine song. Time in this case, had been a very good thing. Ben was now well on his way towards a career in massage therapy and Tamara was settled in her own private practice as a counselor and coach and navigating the adventure of being parent to teenagers. Ben met Tamara and the girls for a movie out one night and a few weeks later got their approval to date their mom. It didn't take long for a feeling of HOME to settle in for everyone.

Ben enlisted the help of Tamara's daughters in planning a weekend getaway to one of her favorite local spots - The Village of Baytowne Wharf. They surprised her after work on a Saturday morning ... almost too much so because Tamara thought Ben was at work and became super concerned that he might have lost his job when she opened the door at home to find him standing there with flowers and Michael Bolton playing (another one of her sappy faves). They told her to pack an overnight bag and to stop worrying. Ben had covered all the bases - dinner at a 5 star restaurant, a walk on the pier at sunset "for pics" (the same pier they had stood on 7 years prior), champagne to be brought to the room afterwards, and even a celebratory brunch with her family the next morning. He must've pleased the fae folk or said the right prayers because everything was truly fairytale perfect.

We're so excited to celebrate this next chapter in our lives with you with a traditional Scottish handfasting with all the trimmings. See you in Pensacola under the new moon in Pisces!