In 2017, Amanda was on the opening crew of a Chick-fil-A that was opening in Gainesville. Conveniently, I (Jacob) applied and got the job at the CFA, after having experience working at one in Apopka during my high school years. We got to know each other and in March of 2018, I asked Amanda on a date to Maple Street Biscuit Company, from there we were inseparable. Amanda had always wanted to live in Nashville so after 1.5 years of living in Gainesville and raising a puppy daughter together (sweet little Nash), we made the jump and decided to move in together in Nashville, TN, where we live today!

We had gone to breakfast that morning and it seemed like any regular day. Around 2 pm, I went to run some errands. Jacob texted me saying there was a surprise for me when I get home. Around 4, when I got back home there was a setup waiting for me that had a vinyl I had been looking for for months, roses, and a note that said to dress in my finest meet him at 5. Mind you, it was already 4, the place I was supposed to meet him was about 30 minutes away and it takes a lot longer than 30 minutes for me to get ready and dress in my finest, but I got it done. His note led me near the titans stadium along the river, (side note: there was a soccer game going on so I had to pay for parking, therefore, paying for my proposal). I parked, saw Jacob, and from there proceeded to blackout until I had a ring on my finger and a group of (random) people were cheering for us.

What a day, let me tell you. I had been stressing out all morning and had butterflies like crazy, as you do when you're a young man asking the love of his life to marry you. I had the day all planned out and was able to get Amanda out of the house for a couple of hours so I could set up flowers, a vinyl record she had been searching everywhere for, and a little note card with a QR code telling her when and where to meet me. When thinking of the best place to propose, I thought what better than in the city of new opportunities for the both of us, the city that brought us even closer together after we moved here, right here in Nashville. I had visited the river bank at an earlier date and envisioned it perfectly with the cityscape in the background and the sun setting just perfectly behind us. Little did I know there would be a Nashville Soccer Club game going on at the same time as all of this. After bartering with the security guard to let Amanda and I in to the paid lot by the river bank for free (which clearly didn't happen if you read her side of the story lol) I set up a picnic blanket with a picnic basket of cheeses, crackers, etc and waited. My dad gave me a call, perfectly timed and unplanned, and helped calm my nerves. Before I knew it, it was time to get on one knee and ask Amanda the golden question. While I remember everything, I definitely blacked out during it all as a wave of adrenaline and happiness rushed over me. With all of the things that could've gone wrong, it ended up being the perfect day all around!