In 2013, Courtney's dad (affectionately known as Papa Fetters) called her one day to let her know about the Atlanta Women's Chorus Project, a sibling group to the Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus. She wasn't sure at first; her schedule was already so busy. The only way she could fit it in was if rehearsals were on Thursday nights — and fortunately, they were! She auditioned and made it into the project, and her new chorus family began to grow from there.… After singing in choirs all throughout her childhood and into young adulthood, Ella realized she needed to find a way to bring music back into her life. Along her quest, her friends Kena and Trisha told her about the newly formed Atlanta Women's Chorus and their upcoming auditions. Ella worked her nerves up to audition and made it into the chorus. Alongside her two friends, she started developing new friendships and growing a chorus family of her own…. During the initial rehearsals of the chorus, Courtney and Ella were often seated next to each other since both sing alto. Courtney remembers Ella being quiet and shy (hahaha) and saying something sweet about her voice. Ella remembers hoping she would be seated next to Courtney because she can sight read so well and always knows her part. A lovely friendship began to blossom. They both held leadership roles in the chorus at the same time and grew closer as friends. It was during this time that this friendship set to music crescendoed into romance. — 2013 - 2015 —

Having had the ring for several months already, Ella had come up with many elaborate plans for popping the question, most of them aligning with a significant date or holiday. As each date passed, the opportunities narrowed. Courtney began to suspect that a proposal was coming during her 40th birthday party, so of course Ella had to make it happen before then to maintain the element of surprise. Ella and Courtney visited Gibbs Gardens during spring break, and the stars aligned as the tulips (Courtney's favorite flower) were in full bloom. In a perfect spot next to the colorful tulips, Ella asked and Courtney said, "Yes!". — April 8, 2022 —

Courtney also couldn't wait to propose to Ella — but she knew it couldn't be too soon. She knew Ella wouldn't want some grandiose gesture but wanted to make this proposal meaningful. She texted their closest chorus friends and neighbors, Skody and Alicia, and came up with a plan. They hosted a "last dinner together" at their place before moving to a different neighborhood. The night was as improvisational as Courtney's proposal, as shortly into the night, the power went out. When the lights came back on, Courtney got down on one knee and Ella happily said, "Yes!" The rest of the night, they celebrated with champagne and many shared laughs about the adventurous evening. — September 5, 2022 —