Our paths first crossed over 20 years ago, thanks to Ashley's cousin and Stephen's friend, Mike (groomsman). Fast forward nearly a decade, and life found a way of bringing us closer together. It was around 11 years ago when we started hanging out more— from BBQs to crazy nights at Toby Keith's. It wasn’t anything romantic at first, just two people floating around in the same circles. As time went on, we started to connect more and more, like two puzzle pieces that fit together in a way neither of us expected. And then, 8 years ago, something happened. We took a trip to Colorado together. Somewhere between hiking in the mountains and falling asleep in front of the fire place, it became clear that what we shared was no longer just friendship. It was something more. That trip marked the beginning of our relationship, a turning point where everything just started to click. From that moment, we were no longer just friends hanging out—we were partners, navigating the world together. Now, looking back on those 20 years, it's amazing to see how our connection grew from the simplest of beginnings into something so strong and lasting. Our story isn’t the kind of love that happened overnight—it took time, patience, and a series of little moments that, in hindsight, meant everything.

We were in San Francisco attending our friend, Yohannes's wedding. Steve knew he wanted to propose in front of the bridge, but wasn't going to be able to scout a location before the moment. That's when Favin (best man) came to the rescue and found a perfect secluded spot with scenic views of the Golden Gate. Bringing the matrimonial spirit from the night before, we headed down to Golden Gate Park with Lester (best man), under the guise of him wanting to get some photos of the bridge with his professional camera. We got some coffee at the visitors center, and then Steve started walking around the park faster than Ashley could keep up with. Steve found the spot Favin scouted, Ashley caught up, and Lester jumped into action. First just taking photos of the scenery, and then slyly asking us to be subjects in the foreground. We turned towards the bridge and when Ashley turned back around Steve was on one knee with the ring box he had been awkwardly trying to hide from her for the past hour. Despite all of Steve's weird behavior, Ashley still had no idea what was happening. She was so surprised she shouted, "Stop it!" and then said "yes!" We're so excited to celebrate this next chapter in our lives with you.