We met through a mutual friend and hit it off as friends right from the start. There was always a little more than friendship there for the two of us. Time went on for years as friends as we watched one another grow into young adults. As our friendship continued to grow, we had parties, adventures, and anime nights with friends. All while our feelings for each other grew.

This by far was the hardest secret to keep. I knew she was "the one" six months into our relationship, so I began to make plans for a surprise proposal. I exhausted all of the connections I had setting it up to be the perfect movie proposal. Months before the day, I had told her I entered a drawing from Discover Stillwater for a couples photo shoot and weekend getaway. My step mother beautifully crafted a "winners" email from a former winners email sent out by Discover Stillwater. In the meantime, I booked a room at the Lowell Inn and contracted an amazing photographer James Nets. James, TJ (best man), and I met in Stillwater and coordinated the shoot. I planned to pop the question at a tree we caught some shade under on our first date. Some time goes on and I got an email from "Discover Stillwater" notifying us that we had won the drawing; Alex was ecstatic and we planned the weekend out. The day had come and everything was perfect, our family watched from afar as James walked us through our photo shoot. as we approached the tree it was game time. James posed us a few times and then asked "Bryan why don't you get down on one knee and ask Alex to marry you." Alex says "I LIKE this guy we should have him do our engagement pictures." Little did she know he was already doing it. I proceed to follow his instruction and pull the ring from my sock and ask her "Alexandra Leigh Romero would you marry me?" With the look disbelief and the question "Is this a joke? If it is, its a cruel joke." I say pointing toward the small group of loved ones "This is real, our family is waiting for us." Boats on the St. Croix honked and by standards cheered for us as she said "YEAH, yes of course yes!" We spent the rest of the night together with loved ones and in awe of what had just happened.