After a long night shift of stocking freight at Walmart we went to Soap Company Coffee House in Jacksonville right after we got off. Which also happened to be right when they opened. We each got our coffees and sat in a little booth in the corner of the coffee shop. We just talked for hours and hours about everything! Our families, friends, our very similar taste in music, it felt like we had known each other for ages. We had lost track of time so bad we didn’t realize most of the day had gone by. The date ended wayyyyy past our bedtime around 1pm, we both knew that the first date wasn’t going to be the last. By the time I (Paige) had gotten home my roommates at the time were waiting by the door so impatiently to hear all the details. We had such a good time on our first date we did the same thing two days later! Four years, three cats, several jobs, and a house later we’re getting MARRIED!

Our engagement story is the most perfectly imperfect and simply the best representation of us as a couple. Early September 2024 we planned a trip to Florida and as any girl who’s been in a serious relationship does I had my suspicions. We took daily strolls to the beach just minutes from our Airbnb, explored Fort De Soto state park, went paddle boarding and swimming in a natural spring, walked several nature trails, and of course ate all the yummy food we could find. After a long week full of adventures down in Clearwater Beach I had come to terms that maybe it wasn’t happening. On our last full day we had planned a trip to Honeymoon Island state park ;) and Dylan was acting very unlike himself this day. What does that mean you ask? He insisted on wearing the same swim shorts he had worn the day prior, still damp and hanging in the bathroom. Why you may ask? He needed pockets for his phone obviously or so I was told. I brush it off, still suspicious and we head to the island, we get there and the beach is all rocks and the strongest winds we had seen the whole trip are tearing up the beach. Trying to make the most of our last day we head to the water and I slip on said rocks and cut open the bottom of my foot. We quickly decided against spending the day at Honeymoon Island and headed back to Clearwater. Trying to find something to do, we head to the local aquarium for an hour or so, then we went and got dinner at Checkers of all places. After dinner Dylan is antsy he insists on a sunset beach walk. We start our stroll on the beach around dusk as the sun is setting, however there is no sunset as it is overcast and looking like it’s about to rain. At the end of the beach there was a pier, and by the time we reached the pier a storm was rolling in quickly. It was pitch black and winds had picked up swaying said pier. Dylan insists we go to the end of the pier because it will be romantic. We get to the first covered shelter on the pier before lightning storms going off in the distance and a light rain picks up. He gets down on one knee under the very dimly lit shelter on the pier and proclaims “this is not how I wanted this to go at all but I’m determined to do it on this trip. Will you marry me?” Of course I said yes! We start to walk back to our Airbnb in the spitting rain and I take a closer look at my newest piece of jewelry to see an opal colored stone. Dylan chimes in "That's not your actual ring, I was so worried about hiding it from you at home I accidentally left it there.” He then enlightens me on how he snuck out of the Airbnb the night before down to the tchotchke shops along the beach looking for a temporary ring if you will. I can’t think of a more perfectly imperfect route to start our lives together in a way that is so chaotic and truly us!