Our story began four and a half years ago when I took a girls’ trip to Nashville to visit my friend Emily (now one of my bridesmaids) after a long year of quarantine in March 2021. On my first night there, Emily had arranged dinner with a big group of her new Nashville friends — and among them was Fred. We sat at different tables that night, but Emily later told me that Fred had asked, “Who’s Cheetah Girl?” (I was wearing a cheetah-print top that I had, of course, borrowed from Emily.) After dinner, the group walked up the block to the famous Nashville karaoke bar, Ms. Kelli’s. That’s where Fred and I first struck up a conversation — one that lasted the rest of the night. We still laugh about how Fred’s only association with my hometown of Chicago was eating a hotdog at Navy Pier when he was ten years old. From that night on, I found every excuse to revisit Nashville, extending my trips a little longer each time, to spend time with my chosen sister Emily, of course, but also with Fred, who I couldn’t seem to get enough of. Not long after, Fred asked me what I liked about him, and I told him how beautifully our personalities fit together. Just a few months later, in June 2021, I took a leap of faith — resigned from my teaching job in the Chicagoland area and moved to Nashville. We made our relationship “official” soon after, and as time went on, we knew we had something truly special. A couple of years later, while watching one of our favorite reality shows, the cast visited the King and Prince Resort on St. Simons Island. The Golden Isles hold a special place in my heart — I grew up going there every summer, spending countless days at the King and Prince pool pretending I was a hotel guest. In that moment, Fred turned to me and said, “I think we should get married on Jekyll Island.” He knew how meaningful that place was to me. (And yes, we even have matching sister-peach tattoos to prove it!) It’s hard to believe it’s been four years since I moved to Nashville and four years since “Carly and Fred” became us. In that time, we have always pushed each other to be the best versions of ourselves, and our love has grown into something so beautiful. Our little family of two became a family of three when we brought home our Shih Tzu–Yorkie, Clyde — named after my grandfather from the Golden Isles — who completely changed our world. We can’t wait to see where this next chapter takes us, and we’re so grateful to celebrate the start of it all with you!

I first met Carly in March of 2021 at a group dinner at Stateside Kitchen in Nashville, thanks to her best friend, Emily. I remember sitting with my friends at a separate table, glancing over, and catching sight of a beautiful blonde in a cheetah top. I didn’t know her yet, but something in me paused and thought, “Who is that?” Later that night, our group wandered over to Ms. Kelli’s, a local karaoke bar, and I finally got the chance to introduce myself. I did my best to impress her with my “extensive” knowledge of Chicago, her hometown, even though the highlight of my expertise may or may not have been Navy Pier. But when I saw the spark in her eyes and the way she lit up with that smile of hers, I felt something shift. The chemistry was instant and unmistakable. Before the night ended, we shared a late bowl of chicken teriyaki cooked by my best friend and roommate at the time, Casey, back at what we lovingly referred to as our “retirement community” of an apartment. Eventually, we said goodnight, and Carly returned home to Chicago, but she didn’t leave my mind. Over the next few months, Carly and I stayed in close contact. We told ourselves we were “just friends,” but there was always something warm and familiar between us. When she made the decision to move to Nashville, I’ll never forget helping her and her mom, Dale, bring her things into her new apartment in Germantown. That evening, over Emmy Squared Pizza, I quickly saw where Carly got her humor, sweetness, and effortless warmth. Once Carly was officially in Nashville full-time, we naturally ended up spending more time together with mutual friends. At the time, I was stuck in a job that drained me, working crazy hours, and I wasn’t looking for a relationship. Part of me tried to fight the feelings I already had for her, because I didn’t want to give her anything less than my best. Then August 2021 came, and a big group of us took a trip to Scottsdale for some friends’ birthdays. Somewhere between the sunshine, the laughter, and the ease of being around her, everything became so clear. All of the reasons I told myself to hold back suddenly didn’t matter. What mattered was the way our connection had grown, steady, effortless, and full of something undeniably real. By then, there was no denying it: what Carly and I had was something incredibly special. And it was only just beginning. The spark from that night in 2021 has turned into a partnership grounded in love, friendship, and all the everyday moments that make life meaningful. And now, we’re so excited to take the next step, marrying my best friend and beginning the rest of our forever.