Brooks and I like to say we met the "old-fashioned" way (aka we met on Bumble). After months of what felt like endless swipes, I was about to delete the app when I came across Brooks' profile. I noticed that not only did we share a love for Seinfeld, but we were both born and raised in Sarasota. I decided to make my move and send Brooks a Seinfeld gif of George Costanza waving through a peephole. To my delight, he responded, and we proceeded to text for a few days before deciding to meet at Cask & Ale for a drink. A few Spicy Margaritas and Old-Fashioneds would turn into months of dates exploring Sarasota and beyond, adventures, and a Goldendoodle named Dali. I never thought George Costanza and my love for Seinfeld would help me find my future husband ;).

Both born and raised in Sarasota, you would think that Brooks and I would have crossed paths before July 2023. But we always joke that there must have been an invisible string connecting the two of us all along. After meeting at Cask & Ale for drinks, we quickly realized we had a lot in common. Yes, we both loved our hometown and decided to move back here after college, but the string was a little longer. I attended Ashton Elementary for Kindergarten, where Brooks' mother had taught for years and was my music teacher (she also taught my two cousins music at Ashton). Brooks began his teaching career in Sarasota at Brookside Middle School (where I had attended years earlier). We both attended Riverview, where Brooks was crowned Mr. Riverview in 2008, and my brother, Blake, received the same title in 2020. His sister, Bree, and I were both Debutantes in Sarasota, and we enjoyed reminiscing about our years in Cotillion and Sarasota in the early 2000s. Even though we have differing opinions on our College teams (house-divided), we both agreed that moving back to Sarasota after school was one of the best decisions we had made, for multiple reasons.

Almost two years after our first meeting and sending the infamous Seinfeld GIF, Brooks would plan the perfect proposal. I was certain he was planning to propose weeks earlier on our Summer trip to the Keys, or that it would have been when we went to NYC in October, but he knew how to keep me on my toes (especially being the planner that I am). He planned a low-key Anniversary dinner and evening for us, as we dropped Dali off at my parents, and headed to Longboat Key for dinner at Mar Vista. It was the perfect casual meal with us sharing some of our favorites, including oysters and calamari. After dinner, I was expecting to head home and pick up our Dali girl, but Brooks had other plans. He brought up the idea of walking the beach, and I hesitated at first (it was a hot July evening and I was wearing wedges). I agreed, put my hair up, and left my wedges in the car. We walked the beach, and after 10 minutes of reminiscing about the last two years, I had a feeling something was coming. He stopped in a secluded area, got down on one knee, and asked the big question. Without hesitation, I said yes. He planned it perfectly, having a photographer capture the moment and the minutes after. As we drove home, I was still in shock and asked all the questions about how he planned it and how he chose the ring (which is perfect). We laughed and reminisced some more, excited to pick up Dali and share the details with our families. Little did I know that Brooks had planned a surprise with my mom at my parent's house. When we pulled into the driveway, our family welcomed us, cheering with champagne. Our parents, siblings, and my grandmas were there to congratulate us and toast to our future. It truly was such a special night and July 19th will forever hold a special place in our hearts.