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Update: Due to COVID-19, we’ve decided to postpone our wedding. We hope you’ll save our new date — you can RSVP anytime on our site. Wishing you all health and safety, and looking forward to celebrating together!
Update: Due to COVID-19, we’ve decided to postpone our wedding. We hope you’ll save our new date — you can RSVP anytime on our site. Wishing you all health and safety, and looking forward to celebrating together!
July 26, 2020
Charlotte, North Carolina

Marina & Bryce

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Bryce Smith

and

Marina Sycheva

July 26, 2020

Charlotte, North Carolina

the proposal

9.16.19

On what was expected to be a “routine” visit to Tampa, the alarm went off at 4 AM. Half asleep, I told Marina to grab her bags and hop in the truck. We headed south and she had no clue where we'd be going but she had plenty of guesses. Once we passed Miami there was no hiding it, we were headed to Key West. After checking in the hotel, we went to Zachary Taylor park to watch the sunset. The park on the beach wasn’t exactly what I expected it to be and there was a rowdy group of inebriated “Bama” fans nearby. I made sure to distance ourselves from them and we sat on the rocks to watch the sunset. A friendly couple offered to take pictures of us. I wasn’t quite ready yet and this put a kink in my plan. We sat back on the rocks to finish watching the sunset. As the moment neared my legs got weaker and I asked Marina if she wanted to take some more pictures. Obviously, me asking to take more pictures was a red flag but she obliged. We asked a couple sitting on a nearby bench to take the pictures. After a few pictures, I proceed to get down on one knee. As I get down on a knee, I hear “oh my gosh you got engaged too” by the lady taking the pictures. I look at her and say it’s happening right now. Once down on a knee I forget the most important part, the part where I ask. Finally I get the words out and Marina answers with a stunned "yes".

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