(bride's perspective) I don’t remember the exact date we met, but I do remember that from the very beginning, something just clicked. It all started in Clay Hall at the end of our first semester of freshman year. When we kept “accidentally” running into each other on the elevator… and by accidentally, I mean so often that I genuinely started to think George might be a stalker. The timing was just too perfect. After one too many “coincidental” elevator rides, I finally decided I had to say something. Being the awkward person I am, I looked up and said, “Nice ceiling,” because George was so nervous he couldn’t take his eyes off of it long enough to look at me. Somehow, that very smooth line worked. Conversations got longer and longer, elevator rides turned into talks in the dorm lobby and the library, and eventually we exchanged numbers. We were friends for a couple of months before making it official, but from the beginning we both knew our intentions. We could talk for hours well, I could talk for hours. I’m a talker, and George is the most incredible listener. For the first time, I felt truly heard and understood. I could completely be myself around him. I don’t know the exact moment I realized he was the one, but honestly, from the start I knew something was different. His compassionate heart, his patience, and the way he strives every day to be more like Jesus made it clear to me that this was not ordinary. I am so thankful for Clay Hall and for the fact that I got over my fear of elevators because I’m not sure what today would look like otherwise. I truly believe Jesus brought us together. I am so blessed that the boy who once couldn’t look away from the ceiling is now the man I get to marry.

(his perspective) To preface this day, I must let you know that Evelyn had been suspicious for weeks that something was up. She could tell something was happening and was slowly closing in on what was afoot. I asked her weeks out to make sure her schedule was clear for one day so we could go on a date. As two broke college students, asking off work to spend money on a date set off alarm bells. She never asked directly what was going on, but I knew that she could tell, and I could see that she was catching on. Half of the fun of a proposal is the element of surprise (the other being actually proposing). I had half of a proposal, so I had to get creative. I told her we were going to go to four different places. Each of the four had a special meaning and memory to them. First stop was at Clay Hall where we first met in the elevator. Next was the Richmond Park where we had many dates by the lake. We then came to where we had our first date, My Old Kentucky Home. Our first date was a day of walking around Bardstown that ended with a tour of My Old Kentucky Home. We were the only two on the tour of this mansion. It is so quiet that our steps echo in the old house. The tour guide who was standing a foot away from us had to sing the entirety of song “My Old Kentucky Home.” She was a big fan of eye contact while she sang, a foot away. No matter how awkward it seemed, it was a great end to a perfect day. Poetically, that same location that was used to end a perfect day was used to begin to the rest of our life together. “But you said FOUR locations, not three! What was the last location,” you ask? Well, I fibbed. I knew if Evelyn thought that there was one more stop then she wouldn’t be expecting it here, because in her mind there was more to come. We rounded the corner to the front of the house where we were met with Evelyn’s friend, the photographer. It clicked in her brain, and it kind of clicked in mine too. She started tearing up and so did I. Slowly, I bent down on to one shaky knee. I asked her if she would marry me, and the rest is history still being written.