Ninth grade, 2nd semester, English class—that’s where I met the guy who became my best friend and later my soulmate. Now here we are 12 years later, planning our wedding. Even back then, our relationship felt fun, spontaneous, and dependable. We grew up as the new kids on the block (literally! Our houses were less than a mile apart), just trying to fit in at a new school, in new place. During that time, we built a relationship rooted in genuine friendship, all while going to homecoming, prom, and football games together—but never as anything more than friends. Our relationship shifted from friendly to romantic shortly after we graduated high school. Suddenly, we both had a lot of extra time on our hands and, being neighbors, that time was spent with each other. One day, Jamie asked me to ride with him to South Carolina to pick up fireworks for a 4th of July party he was planning. On our way to South Carolina, we stopped and spent the night on his dad’s boat on Lake Norman. That night Jamie revealed his feelings and the rest is history. Over these 12 years, our relationship has endured trials and been tested in endless ways, but one thing has remained: we can count on each other through it all. This wedding isn’t about “the perfect day;” it’s about the perfectly imperfect relationship we’ve built, one that started with a deeply rooted friendship. We want a wedding that reflects our relationship, which is anything but traditional. We have always marched to the beat of our own drum, and you can expect that same energy the day we tie the knot. We want you there—the people who have witnessed our journey—to help us celebrate this new, very special chapter of our lives.