We’re getting married!

On a beautiful November day, Brooke and a friend ventured out in search of the best Bloody Mary in Annapolis. What they weren't searching for? A packed bar and an annual tug-of-war competition. But they landed at Boatyard anyway, as did Michael and two friends. If you know Michael, you know he didn't introduce himself to Brooke right away, but he noticed her as soon as he walked in the door. Thankfully, his friends took the lead and started up a conversation. As they continued drinking their (not the best) bloody marys, one of Michael's friends told a joke that neither Brooke nor Michael understood. And in that moment, they clicked. They talked and they laughed and they drank. Eventually, Michael and his friends decided to move on to the next bar, and Michael invited Brooke to come along. While at first she agreed, she almost immediately changed her mind. Michael was not taking no for an answer. He convinced them to come along for one more drink. Brooke and her friend went home soon after, but she and Michael began texting nearly every day following. It was the start of something special. Because it was the holiday season, they were both busy but planned a date for the next month. They continued texting daily. Brooke went home to Ohio for Thanksgiving, where she told her friend all about the hot firefighter she had met and how she couldn't wait for their date. The big day finally came, and when Michael texted Brooke for her address, she did not answer. She had fallen asleep (if you know Brooke, this is not a surprise)! Michael pulled over half way to DC and debated if he should just go home. He decided to give it one more shot and called her. Thankfully, she woke up to the call! The rest is history. What started out as a bond over bad jokes and even worse Bloody Marys turned into the kind of love neither of them expected to find that day - the real kind.