Beth and I met at some point early in our first year together at George Mason University in an InterVarsity (IV) Large Group, but neither of us remembers exactly how we met. Through most of college we slowly built up a friendship (looking back we were more like acquaintances) that exclusively consisted of group settings. A semester before we started dating I started taking an interest in Beth, leading to me ask her to dance at an IV spring dance where I taught her some styles of ballroom dance. It wouldn’t be until the next semester, my final one, that I would fully pursue Beth. With encouragement from friends and guidance from the Lord I devised a plan to ask Beth out to coffee! I planned to ask her to help me learn about different fall activities for an IV Large Group opening (that I was leading) and use that as a time to ask her out for coffee or dinner. After our next dance class (that her friend Helenka asked my friend Destine and I to join) I decided to walk with her towards her next class in hopes of asking for her help, and it worked! All was going according to plan.. however on my walk home from campus, Beth catches up to me and asks me out to coffee! From there we would go on a couple more dates before I officially asked her to be my girlfriend! After a year and a half (exactly), on both her birthday and Easter, I presented Beth with the greatest gift I could give her: the rest of my life. With each passing day, I grow ever more excited to marry the love of my life.

Mark and I met my freshman year (and what I thought was his) at GMU. We don’t remember meeting for the first time, but it was through a campus ministry called InterVarsity. Eventually I learned that he was two years older and a transfer. We BARELY talked one on one for two years but quickly were immersed in mutual friend group hangouts like Taco Tuesday in my apartment and IHOP hangouts. I honestly thought he was kinda cute from the get-go and later when I found out he was leading our chapter’s justice team—oh man. Flash forward to my junior year. My roommates and I (@ bridesmaid Helenka) took a Latin Dance class. The class was low on leads so we strategically invited Mark and a couple friends to join the class since he was in our school’s ballroom club. We didn’t talk a ton, but this was probably the most interaction we’d had. During the class, I concluded that it was Mark’s last semester at Mason and I wanted to be friends AND more than friends. Through encouragement and inner boldness so out of character it had to be the Lord, I asked Mark to get coffee after class. Except it wasn’t that smooth. I chose the day and during class Mark asked to talk after. I thought it was perfect—maybe he was doing the work for me! We walked to our student center and Mark asked me if I’d help him learn about fall things (my favorite season) for a Large Group bit, which Mark led. I agreed and he left, but I felt unaccomplished. After he left, I decided it was the day to be bold and followed him HALFWAY ACROSS CAMPUS. I caught up to him with the line “did you know you walk really fast!?” I told him I’d wanted to ask him something too and invited him to coffee. He agreed and boom. Two years later we’re getting married. Honestly do you need any more details than that? Mark has been the most kind and compassionate boyfriend, now fiancé, and almost husband. I thank God for bringing us together and I’m so overjoyed to be sharing our wedding day with y’all!