It’s funny how God works — we met when neither of us was really looking for anything. Our first encounter was through mutual friends at one of our favorite spots, Shell Island. We only exchanged a few words — one of them being the now-iconic, “Hey, have you tried these chips?” — but little did we know that moment would be the start of something special. After that day, we occasionally crossed paths — mostly at the gym or through social media. Then one day, Dakota posted a picture on Instagram at a restaurant called Mr. Pho. Brooke, being the pho lover she is, couldn't help but reply: “Omg, I love Pho!” A few weeks later, they found themselves sitting across from each other at Mr. Pho on their very first date. From that night on, things just clicked. Weekly gym meetups turned into long conversations in the parking lot, and those conversations quickly turned into a connection neither of us expected — but one we both knew was something special. Since then, we've been pretty much inseparable.

July 19, 2025: As the timeline for Brooke’s move to Gulfport approached, Dakota knew he needed to plan something special for their engagement. He had several ideas in mind—one involving an outdoor proposal with a photographer, and another centered around a more intimate dinner. After calling around to different places, Dakota decided on a romantic dinner for just the two of them. He put a lot of effort into making the night perfect—and man, was he nervous. He called Patio 44, a restaurant located in the heart of their new city, and arranged a private reservation. From Brooke’s point of view, it was just another one of Dakota’s “date nights.” He had made reservations but kept the location a secret, which wasn’t unusual for him. As they got ready, Brooke held a few dress options and let Dakota pick. He chose the long sage green one. Dakota, meanwhile, complained about his pants being too tight, but Brooke didn’t think much of it. When they arrived at the restaurant, Dakota parked far from the entrance, which Brooke immediately questioned. Dakota brushed it off, saying the walk wasn't bad compared to the front parking. Inside, the hostess greeted them with, “Do y’all have reservations?” Dakota replied, “Yes, two for Zinn.” They were then escorted to the back of the restaurant, where they approached a door that entered the wine room —a cozy space surrounded by wine bottles. As they entered, Brooke saw a table set in the center with rose petals and candles. She paused and asked, “What is all of this?” Playing it cool, Dakota replied, “I wasn’t expecting all of this. I just called and said I needed a reservation for a date night, and they said, ‘We got you.’” They enjoyed wine and champagne (on the house) and ordered one of their favorite meals—a steak dinner. At one point, Dakota joked, “I don’t know how I’m going to one-up this for the proposal,” which sent Brooke’s thoughts spinning. After dinner, Dakota said he had forgotten his wallet in the truck—thanks to those too-tight pants—and needed to grab it to pay. Brooke offered to cover it and have him Venmo her back, but he insisted. Before he left, Brooke headed to the restroom (no surprise there if you know her bladder). While she was away, Dakota quickly coordinated with their waitress. Dakota then went out to the truck to grab his wallet where he met the waitress and handed her the ring, asking her to place it in the to-go box with their “cheesecake.” When he returned, the waitress brought the check along with the to-go box. Dakota then asked if she could take a photo of the two of them. As the waitress got ready to snap the picture, Dakota walked over to the table, picked up the to-go box—which confused Brooke for a moment—and opened it. Inside was the ring box. Walking toward her, everything suddenly clicked for Brooke—this wasn’t just a regular dinner after all. Dakota had a full speech planned, but in the moment, all he could get out was a few heartfelt sentences ending with getting on one knee and saying, “Would you be my wife?” To which Brooke, without hesitation, said, “Absolutely, yes.”