Dylon and I first crossed paths in fifth grade, though it wasn't quite the fairytale beginning it might sound like! We both played violin in our school orchestra, but our approaches were very different. I was dedicated to every song, always arriving early to practice, and eventually earned first chair. Dylon, on the other hand, had a knack for "forgetting" his violin at home so he could avoid playing in class—something that used to drive me crazy! Our differences kept us at a distance, and we didn’t speak much through junior high. We then parted ways in high school, and though we didn’t stay in touch, Dylon had been secretly crushing on me the entire time. After graduation, we both ended long-term relationships and weren’t looking for anything serious. Then, on November 4, 2022, I received a message on Instagram from none other than Dylon! He was a bit flirty, and I was curious what had prompted him to reach out after all these years. As we chatted, he confessed that he'd had feelings for me since we first met. We agreed to meet for a date, and I couldn’t stop talking the entire time. We went to Goodwood BBQ, then got ice cream and drove up to a parking garage for a view of the city. After a painfully awkward few moments of hand-holding, we shared our first kiss. It was in that moment I realized Dylon wasn’t going anywhere. A few weeks later, he left for boot camp, and I met his family for the first time when we traveled to Texas for his graduation. I loved them instantly. By May, we both knew we were in this for the long haul, and we decided to talk about marriage. With little time to plan a big wedding, we chose to elope on July 1, 2023. Now, we can’t wait to celebrate that special day and our marriage with all of you!