Timothy's Version of Events: When I first saw Candrea on the dating app, Bumble, I thought she was the cutest thing, but assumed she would be too bougie for me because she was an AKA. But I saw the potential, so I swiped right and we matched! Candrea hit me up first. She said I was very handsome and wanted to get to know me. I thought she had a unique opener with her screening question about whether or not I was a rapper. However, it turns out she was giving me canned messages! I was just another man she was messaging on the app, but it didn’t deter me. Our conversation was really on point, so right when I was going to ask her out on a date, she asked me if I wanted to go out with her. I was really loving her energy. Anyways, as you all know, I was taking notes and learned she loves tacos, and took her to one of my favorite spots - Ruins in Deep Ellum. She trusted me enough to meet me at my place and have me drive us to the restaurant, so we linked up and everything went up from there! Candrea's Version of Events: So, we matched on the dating app Bumble. In my first message to him, I told him that I thought he was handsome and wanted to chat more, but FIRST I had pre-screening questions haha. Based on my past experiences in dating, I had to make sure he wasn’t secretly pursuing a rap career 😂 he passed the pre-screener! We chatted from there and found that we’d both went to UT-Austin, despite never having met. Initially, I thought he was lying lol. I reached out to a close friend/sorority sister (Alexis) and discovered that she knew him quite well. Another childhood friend I reached out to (Faith) also attended high school with him and confirmed he was not a serial killer. After a few days we scheduled our first date. It was my last day of work for the school year and he greeted me at my car with a bottle of wine as a gift. It was really sweet. My first thoughts when seeing him in person for the first time was 1) he’s REALLY tall and 2) he’s SO light skin 😂. Anyways, our date was super nice, we sat and talked for hours and he was the perfect gentlemen. I was scared that he was too nice and my little short-person personality would be too much lol but boy was I WRONG. He’s such a smart a** and I adore him for it… most of the time 😉

Candrea's Version of Events: All of my friends are liars. Primarily due to me being nosey though 🤷🏾‍♀️ I was under the impression that I would be attending a baby shower for my friend Courtney at the Arboretum. I never questioned it. There was no reason to! I received a baby shower invite, a link to the baby registry and even ordered a gift. She even suggested I wear a pink dress, which AGAIN, was reasonable because she was having a baby GIRL. I drive to the Dallas Arboretum and think I see Timothy’s car in the parking lot. But then I’m like “of course not, I’m going to a BABY SHOWER, so that must be someone with a similar car AND specialty license plate.” I know, I know—it was a stretch of the imagination, but it all made perfect sense at the time. My friend Marisa met me in the parking lot for us to walk in together (as girls do). I wondered WHY she knew exactly where we were walking to, but she quickly replied that she’d been recently for a field trip with her students (another lie). As we round the corner, there is Timothy dressed and sweating under the hot sun, with a photographer and a ring box. He surprised me after by saying we’d be going to lunch, but had my closest friends and both of our families there waiting on us. Two friends had driven down from Austin and another even flew in from Chicago for the occasion. It was absolutely perfect. Timothy's Version of Events: So I was taking notes about what Candrea wanted for our engagement on the sly. She wasn't too picky. I just had to make sure that her friends and family were there to celebrate with her. So I ended up with a flawless plan with the help of her closest friends - using her friend, Courtney's, baby shower as a cover-up, I would surprise her at the Dallas Arboretum with the proposal. I put it all together - flowers, a sign, photos of us together, and a note that would come to be my proposal. Marisa and Alexis helped me find the perfect spot beforehand for me to propose at the Poetry Garden and were going to help me get everything prepared the day of. When the day of the proposal came, I was trying to do it as early as possible - because it was peak summertime in Texas and y'all already know how freaking hot it gets. Candrea was late as usual 🤭, so the photographer, Alexis, and I were melting in the sweltering heat. While we were waiting, Marisa was escorting Candrea through the Arboretum. When she sent me the text that said they were walking up, it felt like ages went by. And then, while I was standing in the middle of the Poetry Garden, my future wife walked in and was so beautiful, so elated. I then popped the question and she said yes!!! After that, we went to Smoky Rose where I surprised her with the presence of our close friends and family. It was the perfect day. We're so excited to celebrate this next chapter in our lives with you. See you in Dallas!