After a string of less-than-stellar online dating experiences, Crissie had pretty much sworn it off. Apps were deleted, reinstalled, deleted again. She’d lost count of how many awkward conversations fizzled into nothing, or how many first dates didn’t lead to second ones. She’d promised herself she was done. But that same night, something made her swipe again. Maybe it was boredom. Maybe it was hope she didn’t want to admit she still had. Cory was in the same boat—tired of ghosting, shallow chats, and forced small talk. And then it happened. Crissie’s profile popped up on Cory’s screen, and something about her smile, or maybe the way her bio didn’t take itself too seriously, made him pause. She swiped right, so did he. Almost instantly, it was a match. They messaged for just a couple of hours—enough to spark something, but not too long to overthink it. They decided to meet up the very next day, a random Tuesday, at Topgolf. No pressure, just something fun. From the moment they met in person, it felt easy—shockingly easy. What was supposed to be a casual hangout turned into twelve hours of laughter, deep conversations, terrible golf swings, and that feeling that maybe, just maybe, they’d stumbled into something different. They’d both almost given up on love showing up like this, but here it was, unexpected and undeniable. That random Tuesday became the start of everything. From that moment on they were inseparable.

Their engagement story wasn’t picture-perfect in the traditional sense—but it was entirely them: chaotic, sweet, a little messy, and full of love. It all began with a trip to Charleston. Cory had planned a special visit to one of their favorite places, including a return to Magnolia Plantation—one of the city’s most beautiful spots. She had a pretty strong hunch about what might be coming. Things started off on the right foot. They packed the car, and to their surprise, everything fit. They left on time (a rare win!) and barely hit any traffic. They arrived just in time for lunch and headed to Shem Creek to enjoy the view and grab a bite. Headed to the airbnb to unpack and then to the beach! Everything seemed to be falling into place… until 2:30 in the morning, when she woke up with a vengeance. Food poisoning. She was completely down for the count—sick, weak, barely able to make it to the bathroom. Even water was too much. The day that was supposed to end in a proposal had turned into a blur of cold compresses and ginger ale. Would the proposal even happen? From that point on, she cycled between the bed and the bathroom, while Cory transformed into a full-time nurse, caretaker, and emotional anchor. He never left her side, caring for her with unwavering patience and love. Meanwhile, she and her mom were in a full-blown panic. They both knew the proposal was supposed to happen that evening, but she could barely make it out of the bedroom. Still, she was determined—she wasn’t about to miss her own engagement. She clung to the belief that God had brought them this far and wasn’t about to stop now. So, she got ready. In bed. Curled up in a blanket between dry heaves, applying makeup in thirty-second bursts of energy. Nauseous and shaky, but—she was going. They made it to their destination without any stops to the bathroom but when they pulled into Magnolia Plantation, her stomach was in knots (not just from the food poisoning). The scene was breathtaking—the trees, the flowers, the Spanish moss, the golden light. Absolutely perfect. She pushed through, smiling and holding it together as best as she could when Cory got down on one knee and asked her to be his wife under the beautiful, Miss covered oak trees. Even though she had seen it coming, she still cried. It was perfect in its own wildly imperfect way. Cory had even hired her photographer friend to capture the moment. Despite needing breaks to breathe through the dizziness, they ended up with stunning photos that somehow masked the chaos behind the scenes. About five minutes after the shoot ended, she threw up again—bless the security guard who drove her back to the car—but nothing could take away from the joy of that moment. Because it wasn’t just about the proposal. It was a reminder of what love really looks like: showing up when it’s hard, holding each other up when things fall apart, clinging to joy in the middle of chaos, saying yes when everything inside feels upside down, and trusting God to fill in the gaps. A perfect start to a beautiful union. The unexpected turns only made it more memorable—a vivid reminder that even when their plans fall apart, God’s timing and grace hold everything together. They wouldn’t change a thing. (Well… maybe they’d skip the scallops.)