Almost ten years ago, we knew, in 2016 when he got down on one knee and asked me to spend forever with him. There was so much joy, so much excitement, and so many Pinterest dreams. I would have been the first girl in my family to get married, and we dove headfirst into planning, maybe a little too eagerly, carried away by love and the promise of what was ahead. Life, as it often does, pumped the breaks. We pressed pause and postponed a year. Then heartbreak entered our story. Eric’s mom, Beth Vogel, passed away, and everything else faded into the background. Love doesn’t rush grief. We took the time to mourn and heal. When the pieces began to settle and our families found their footing again, we felt ready to move forward. But love is patient, and once more, timing asked us to wait. My older sister got engaged, and we wanted her moment to shine, her excitement to be fully hers. Then the world changed. Covid swept in and pushed her wedding back a year, turning plans upside down for everyone. In the midst of that, Eric’s sister Stephanie got engaged and married. Soon after, my younger sister Victoria followed. Each time, we stepped back willingly, happily, knowing their moments mattered too. Love isn’t diminished by waiting, it grows deeper. I had called dibs on 2025, but life had one more pause for us. My little sister Madison was out of country and couldn’t make it back in time. And so we waited again. What’s a little longer when you’re already with the man you love? We didn’t lose time. We gained memories. We kept choosing each other. We just got to date a little longer. Now, finally, it’s our time. In 2026, everyone who matters most, the family who stood beside us through grief, patience, celebration, and sacrifice, will be there with us, exactly the way we always hoped. Our love story has been shaped by time, by loss, by understanding, and by unwavering commitment. It doesn’t begin when we walk down the aisle, and it certainly won’t end there. But at last, after all these years, we get to stand together and call each other husband and wife.