From the Bride’s Perspective: I started Pilates because my body was begging for a break after years of beating it up. I found a studio, committed to 5:00am classes twice a week, and quickly fell in love with the routine… mostly thanks to an instructor I adored. Then one day, when I went to book my usual class, I saw I had a new instructor: Nicholas. My immediate thought was, what in the world is a guy doing teaching Pilates? But it was my time, so I booked it anyway. The moment I walked in, I glanced into the studio and saw him adjusting a reformer. We made eye contact and I swear I started floating. My very next thought? OMG, he’s hot. I really hope he’s gay so he doesn’t see me in all of these awkward positions. Spoiler: he wasn’t. It ended up being one of the best Pilates classes I had ever taken, and from that point on, I booked every class I could with him. We started flirting a little more each time, finding any excuse to talk just a little longer. Meanwhile, I was calling my sister after every session with full recaps about “Nicky Pilates.” Then I was gone for a month traveling and when I finally came back, I walked into his class like nothing had changed… except everything had. He came right up to me and said, “You’re back—I didn’t think I’d see you again.” After class, he walked out to my car, tapped on my window, and said, “This is very unprofessional, and please don’t feel pressured.. but I’d really like it if you’d put my number in your phone and text me. I’d love to take you on a date.” So I did. We went out to play pool, darts, and arcade games, and I hadn’t had that much fun in a long time. He followed it up with a brunch date shortly after and from that point on, we just kept choosing each other. From the Groom’s Perspective: I had moved to Naples about a year before I met Jess and started picking up early morning Pilates classes—mainly because I’m already up at 4:00am every day. I’m not the biggest fan of teaching group classes, but figured the early hours might help because I am in my best mood then. It was during one of my first weeks teaching when she walked in. I was bent over adjusting the springs on a reformer when I felt this pull to look up. When I did, I saw one of the most beautiful girls I had ever seen—and when we made eye contact and she smiled, it felt like everything lit up. She was intimidating in the best way, and I knew immediately I wanted to know everything about her. I spent that entire class reminding myself to play it cool and not do anything stupid. She was also one of the most athletic people I had ever seen in a Pilates class. Always smiling, full of energy, and funny in the cheesiest way. Every class after that, it got harder and harder to stay “cool.” Then she stopped coming. And I noticed. Every class I hoped she might walk in, and when she didn’t, it affected my day more than I’d like to admit. The day she came back, I knew I needed to do something. After class, I asked her to put my number in her phone and hoped she’d text me. When she did, I asked her out right away. We had the best time—laughing, playing games, and getting to know each other outside of the studio. She even offered to just be friends since I didn’t know many people… but I already knew I wanted her to be my best friend and hopefully my forever. Together: What started as a 5:00am Pilates class turned into something neither of us ever expected but something that quickly felt like home. Somewhere between early mornings, a little bit of rule-breaking, and a whole lot of laughter, we found something real. From that first date to every moment since, we’ve been inseparable—building a life full of learning, growing, and choosing each other every day. After that first date, when everything just clicked, we both said the same thing: it was a sure thing. Now, we can’t wait to celebrate this next chapter with all of you—and the beginning of our new chapter as The Shores.