Every couple has a beginning. Ours just happens to involve the beach, a boardwalk, and one incredibly dramatic text message that changed everything. We technically met years before through mutual friends, but in 2019, fate intervened—by which we mean Hannah checked Instagram. She saw a photo of Colleen’s feet in the Ocean City sand and instantly went into full detective mode. Within seconds came the now-iconic message: “I KNOW you’re not at the beach and didn’t tell me?!?” Colleen, busted with no chance of escape, replied the only way she knew how: “Should we hit the boards?” And that was it. That night on the OCMD boardwalk, something clicked. We wandered around laughing like we’d known each other our whole lives. We talked for hours—about nothing, about everything—while inhaling boardwalk fries and trying to look cool even though both of us were internally screaming, Wow, I really like her. From that night forward, the universe had plans. For our “official” first date, we went to Fleetwood Winery in Leesburg, Virginia. It was all very classy and romantic… until we drove out to stargaze in the back of Colleen’s truck. The second Hannah got comfortable, she passed out in under two minutes. Truly Olympic-level napping. Colleen sat there, staring at her peaceful, absolutely-out-cold date, thinking, Is she okay? Did she faint? Should I poke her? This would become a long-running theme: incredible dates followed by Hannah falling asleep at a speed that defies science. But even with the naps, the connection was instant. We spent the next months going on adventures—concerts, wineries, hikes, spontaneous road trips, beach days, nights talking until 3 a.m., and laughing so much our stomachs hurt. Every moment felt easy, fun, right. Then came the moment that would define our relationship forever: The Birth of “Clark.” After we moved in together, Colleen realized something important. Hannah has her own… unique… very confident system for doing EVERYTHING. Loading the dishwasher. Folding towels. Cooking. Parking. Breathing near the kitchen sink. You name it, Hannah had a preferred method, and she was not shy about announcing it. Every time Hannah would say, “No, you’re supposed to do it THIS way,” Colleen would stare at her, channel Cousin Eddie from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and respond: “Are you serious, Clark?” And just like that, the nickname stuck. Hannah became Clark. For life. (To this day, she still insists she is doing things the “correct” way.) Six years later, we’ve built a life full of adventure, growth, and the kind of laughter that gets you weird looks in public. We’ve survived home projects, chaotic grocery store trips, car rides with questionable playlists, and the great ongoing debate of “Who loads the dishwasher the right way?” We’ve become a team—one that balances each other, loves deeply, and always finds a reason to laugh. We’ve traveled, built traditions, supported each other through every high and low, and created a home that feels like comfort and chaos wrapped together in the best way. Our love story isn’t perfect—thank God. It’s real. It’s fun. It’s spontaneous. It’s full of sarcasm, naps, quotes from old movies, and a beach text message that started it all. Now, after six unforgettable years, we’re ready for the next adventure: marrying our best friend.