We're getting married!

Tyler and I started dating in the summer of 2016, and this July marks ten beautiful years of loving one another. I used to wish our beginning was some grand, storybook meet-cute, but the truth is, it started with something simple, and somehow, that makes it even more special. A single Instagram message: “Hey, you’re pretty cute. Message me sometime.” Of course, I did a little investigating first and when I realized he was a 6'5" basketball player who drove a white chevy truck, I didn’t need much convincing to give him the time of day. But what I didn’t know then was that behind that message was the person who would change my life forever. A few days later, he asked me on our first date. He took me to his favorite spot, Darrell’s (iykyk), and then we wandered along the waterfront, talking for hours. Time seemed to slip away so easily with him, we didn’t get home until midnight. I remember trying not to get my hopes up, telling myself not to read too much into it… but then he texted me when he got home. And just like that, something felt different. Something felt right. From that moment on, we were inseparable. We found our way into each other’s everyday lives so naturally, like we had always belonged there. Just one month after that first date, he asked me to be his girlfriend and I had no idea then that I was saying yes to the love of my life. The past ten years haven’t been perfect but they’ve been real, and they’ve been ours. We’ve faced challenges that could have pulled us apart, moments filled with heartbreak, loss, and uncertainty. But through it all, we chose each other again and again. Every obstacle only deepened our love, teaching us to hold tighter, to cherish the quiet moments, and to never take a single day for granted. Because life is fragile, and tomorrow is never promised but loving him has made every day feel meaningful. Now, as we stand on the edge of forever, it’s almost impossible to believe that we’re about to become husband and wife. When I look back on these 3,653 days, I see a lifetime of memories: prom nights and graduations, family dinners and holidays, big milestones and small, quiet moments that meant everything. We built a home together, raised our sweet golden retriever Louie, and supported each other through every change and every dream. We didn’t just grow up together, we grew into who we are, side by side. I will always be grateful for that simple message ten years ago for the chance it gave us, for the love we built, and for the life we continue to create together. Because somehow, the most ordinary beginning turned into the most extraordinary love story and I wouldn’t change a single moment of it. Bring on September 25 and to the start of our forever together as Mr. and Mrs. Waterman. I love you forever Ty. Thank you for choosing me and loving me every day. I can not wait to be your wife. - Chelsea