We first met at a Papa Roach concert at Misawa AB, Japan where we were both stationed. I was entranced at our first meeting, but it wouldn’t be until much later that we started dating. By the end of the night we had exchanged contact information to share some group pictures from the night, which I obviously tried to use to slide into her DM’s. We flirted for a couple weeks until she eventually ghosted me when she went home to the Philippines. Fast forward several months, Crystal was looking for friends to join her going away festivities celebrating her move back stateside to Scott AFB, IL. I finally had my shot to win her over in the last 2 days she spent in Japan before moving around the world, and somehow, I did! We started a long-distance relationship soon after she left Japan and didn’t see each other for another 8 months. It seemed like forever, but well worth the wait because it's when I figured out that she was the girl I was going to marry. We spent 2 and a half weeks exploring all over Japan: Tokyo, Osaka, Nara, Okinawa, Kyoto; but the exciting experiences weren't what made the trip great: It was how natural our relationship felt even while navigating the unknowns of a foreign land, language, and culture. Fast forward another 6 months, and I finally moved back to the US, 1 direct flight away from visiting, which allowed us to spend much more time together than our previous arrangement. We eventually decided to get legally married at the nearby Okaloosa County Courthouse, with the plan to hold a ceremony later. Fast forward another 7 months and I proposed to her the proper way at an overlook in the Wasatch Mountain Range under the guise of a simple hike with our dogs. While we were taking a picture, I surprised her by dropping to one knee. We’ve been married now for almost 3 years, but are finally getting to hold the ceremony we always wanted to. We hope you’ll join us to celebrate!