Ryan swears he doesn’t remember, but Casey definitely remembers meeting him at an Aaron Watson concert in April of 2022. That was the moment their paths first crossed, though it would take another year and a half—and a few twists of fate—before their love story actually began. Enter: Jackson Grise, Ryan’s best friend, and the true cupid of this whole love story. Jackson, being the matchmaker he is, knew these two were meant to be and set things in motion. So, when Casey’s attempt to match with Ryan on Hinge failed (a tragic swipe-left incident that will forever remain a mystery), Jackson took matters into his own hands. Casey did what any self-respecting girl would do after a failed Hinge match—she followed Ryan on Instagram. Fast forward a couple of months, and Ryan couldn’t help but notice a certain blonde country cutie from Oklahoma showing up in his feed. His idea of flirting? Liking all of her posts and filling her notification box with heart-eye emojis. Classic Ryan. But Ryan, unsure of what to do next, turned to Jackson for advice. Should he slide into her DMs or just let fate take its course? Jackson, ever the wise (and very invested) friend, thought DMing was too casual—so instead, he texted Casey, saying, “Hey, are you ready for the husband-material, stud muffin, hottie, and man of your dreams?” Casey was intrigued, and Ryan’s sweet message soon followed: “Hey, it’s Ryan. I heard you’re looking for a good guy! Would love to take you out this week or next, whenever you’re free.” With that, the stage was set for their first date at Bigsby Folley Winery in Denver—and the rest, as they say, is history. Fast forward three weeks later: they’re out cutting down a Christmas tree with friends, Casey’s under the mistletoe, and—well, you know how it goes. They shared a memorable kiss, and the Hallmark fairytale officially began. Fast forward 11 months, and while celebrating Casey’s 28th birthday, Ryan took his turn as the romantic lead in their story and got down on one knee to ask her to spend forever together. And just like that, here we are—ready to spend the rest of our lives together, still laughing, still swooning, and still wondering how in the world we ever survived a year and a half of near-misses. Here’s to love, timing, and the fact that Ryan probably still doesn’t remember meeting Casey at that concert. But we don’t mind. 😉