We didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. Cue junior year of high school, just before bed time - I get a missed call from Zach Gouz. How did he know my number? (shrug) Then, a text message reading along the lines of: "If you don't pick up your phone, I'll push my grandmother off her wheel chair and wheel over everyone at this party on my way to your house. And it'll be all your fault." What party was he talking about? I don't know. Did I know his grandmother? No. Was I intrigued? Apparently. And thus my heart was won... That event wasn't quite what swept me off my feet, but the reason I share it, besides it literally being the first time he expressed interest (that I was aware of), is because his boldness caught me off guard. Zach is bold. I absolutely love that about him. I don't think he imagined that bold act would lead 10 years down the road to a lifelong adventure, but who knows? It was the start. We met at our high school, New World School of the Arts. He was a music major, and I was an actress. Though the school only had about 500 students in total, he and I lived in completely different worlds. Besides having different art focuses, we had different friend groups, interests, you name it. We were opposites. He was usually in some kind of trouble, and God forbid if I ever got reprimanded for something more significant than talking in class. Maybe this offers better context for my opening anecdote. Truly, there wasn't much we shared besides three classes our junior year, or so I thought. Zach can chime in on this one...

We had probably shared less words with each other than hours I spent studying in high school (not many). Despite this, there was something about Chrystie that could strike you from a distance. For one, she is beautiful. But she also--actually, looking back, that's probably where my thinking stopped...I was a teenage boy, give me a break. In truth, the grandma wheelchair story was not the first exchange in a series of attempts to win her affection -- it was just the one that worked. Before that I had also tried to grab her attention by joking about the time I tried to make out with my own mother as a child, which I wouldn't recommend, as it did not achieve the results I was hoping for (in either instance). As we spent more time together, I came to see similarities in some core principles that drove us. Despite being an almost stereotypical John Hughes-esque "good girl," Chrystie has always been fiercely nonconforming and strangely rebellious in her own right. If you don't believe me, try telling her how she has to do something, or how she needs to feel about something, or that it's ok to leave my socks on the floor at night, and I swear I will pick them up in the morning. Even back in high school, which was a breeding ground for self consciousness and uncertainty, Chrystie could not be won over by idle conversation. I was struck by the depth of her mind, and through many, many nights spent on the phone, straddling the line between conversation and argument, we developed a keen sense of each other's analytical nature, and we bonded over a shared desire to dive honestly and deeply into life. Anyways, I think I've written enough. Your turn again, Chrystie.

our journey has been so full. We both graduated from the University of Florida, and separately made the big move to the west coast. Then of course, on this side of the country is where he made our biggest relationship move yet... He drove me out for a camping weekend in Joshua Tree, CA this past January. There were long hikes, a blindfold, ungodly cold weather, a bohemian-themed tiny home, flower petals, wine, the blubbering mess that is me, and a ring. It was in that mysterious and beautiful desert that he got down on one knee and asked me the biggest question of our lives, to date. Through our journey I have seen God use each one of us to sharpen and encourage the other. Zach has taught me to love so openly and graciously. He has shown me a humor and joy in life that my perfectionist self never quite gave into fully. We are opposites, but incredibly complementary. He truly is my other half. So that's our story. Woohoo! Thank you for taking time to read a little about our journey. I hope it was slightly entertaining - God knows it was a long one - and since you already put in this much effort, might as well fly to Napa to celebrate...right? I thought so :) Enjoy the site. We are so looking forward to celebrating our commitment with all of you this September. Thank you for standing by us.