It was a brisk fall evening in Oxford, MS when I received a text asking if I was free Thursday to attend a KD date party last minute. I figured since it was my last fall in college (spoiler: it was not) I would humbly accept my third date party invitation of the week. Thursday night arrived and before the date party began, and I contemplated how distasteful it would be to mention my personal record for date parties attended in one week, so I put it in the back of my mind and decided not to mention it. Later that night I met my date at the pregame, a lovely brunette named Emily Ortega. Small talk commenced and I found it harder than usual to keep my thoughts together. It wasn’t long before the words, “I’m so tired, this is my third date party this week!” came out of my big, dumb mouth. I immediately realized my error and Emily took this as most would and proceeded to dodge me for the rest of the night. Taxis arrived and because I thought I was the last one there, I started looking for a ride home. Luckily, Emily’s head appeared through the door for the first time in hours and said, “I got us a ride to the Library.” I made the most out of my second chance of the evening and managed to work my way back into her good graces. Then, almost 4 and a half years later, I found myself under a magnolia tree with a ring in my right hand and Emily’s left hand in mine. I had spent weeks finding the photographer, the ring, and creating the perfect speech that encompassed all the love I felt. I got on one knee, but just like the first time we met, I lost every important thought but that didn’t matter- she said yes!

I was the last one in my friend group without a date to our first date party senior year at Ole Miss. A few days before the date party my friend Mary Alice assured me during lunch at KD that she had a sweet boy in mind, so she set me up. A few obligatory texts were exchanged between me and an ATO named “Ian Rone”, and I met a stranger at the house on the hill one rainy night. Time passed, and I began to see glimpses into his charming, funny and caring personality. Ian gave me so many memories from my last year at Ole Miss that I will cherish forever. Fast forward through us evolving from carefree college kids into adulthood and we found ourselves pleasantly settled in Memphis. This past Christmas, Ian planned a late present that included sending me for a massage, then joining me to get our nails done. He said there was one gift remaining for Sunday, but nothing big. That night, he strangely double checked church times for the next morning and instructed me to set my alarm with plenty of time to get ready. Morning came and he kept cracking jokes about “looking cute for Jesus”, making sure my “hair was did”, and putting on that “cute coat”. Although I called him out for acting strange, never did I imagine what this kid had up his sleeve. After church, he drove me to the Memphis Botanic Gardens. While nervously leading me around the park, I noticed a photographer taking pictures of 2 people in sweatpants (which I thought was odd) as we neared romantic arching magnolia trees and Ian began slowing down. The next thing I knew he was down on one knee, tears were flowing and the photographer had turned to capture us! Ian executed the perfect beginning to a lifetime of love and friendship- we can’t wait to celebrate with you!