Join us for our Sunrise Elopement in the Hills of Austin, TX

Patrick and I met at Barbara Jordan High School for Careers circa 2006. I showed up a week or so after school started our Junior year. Everyone knew me as the new girl "from" Louisiana, although I was born and mostly raised in Houston, TX. Patrick had been at the school since 9th grade and was Mr. Barbara Jordan literally. In a destined chain of events, and a school full of kids, Patrick and I caught a glimpse of the other at separate times, and immediately wanted to know more about the other. We were drawn to each other. If you ask Patrick, he was drawn to my light <3. I was drawn to his quiet aura, and nerdy but cute face. He was a gentleman and I could tell he was raised right! We didn't really try to talk to the other at first, it was our friends that convinced us. Eventually we both ended up joining the drama club, me as a lead actress, and him as the light and sound tech for our performances. It was definitely one of those things where once we started spending time together, we just wanted to hang out more. We both had a foundation in God and music. We bonded over so many things. A very innocent chemistry, but a strong one. I always had too much going on, and I was not allowed to date, so Patrick could only be my boo at school. Everyone at school knew though, Patrick and Finesse have a future, even our teacher Mr. McClean often gave us marital advice. Day of our high school graduation, we had a moment where we realized he was going off to college and I was staying in Houston. We didn't say a lot of words, but it felt very much like if it's meant to be, we'll find each other again. During our college years, when Patrick would come back to Houston, sometimes we would link up for a lunch or run into each other at a Gospel concert. One year he even came to visit me on campus at University of Houston. Even with all that, it never felt like it was Our Time. Then in 2014, Patrick lost his Mom, and I, of course showed up for her funeral to support him. Even though we weren't together at the time, it meant a lot to him that I was there. At the end of the service when everyone was leaving, I waited for him, he saw me, we smiled at one another, I embraced him, and the light between us was Beautiful. In 2015, almost 10 years after we first met, I see him post on Facebook that he was locked out of his usual email. At the time, I worked at Apple, and I was in my "I can do anything with technology" era, so I offered to meet up with him at Starbucks to lend my support to clean out his emails. That day in the coffee shop, the spark was relit. We had a lot to learn and work through, but from that point on, it was Us. The following year, God chose us to be Layla Bear's parents. I know that everyone is not lucky enough to be with the love of their lives, but if you've ever felt destined to do something, be somewhere, or be around someone, that is what our love has always been. We were designed for one another. The amount of work we've done to make sure we are healed, whole, and patience partners, to do this thing called life, is Love. Love is patient, love is kind, love never fails. We love each other because love exists. We love each other because we choose to. Our connection could not be built or created, it just Is. I am so happy to finally delight in this love as your wife, FOREVER. I'm All in, Mr. Allen. Come and help us celebrate, see y’all soon!