As we prepare to celebrate this beautiful next chapter in our lives, we wanted to take a moment to share our story—a journey that began nine years ago and has grown into the incredible love we share today. Our story starts back in junior high, a time filled with awkward dances and innocent crushes. Devin, being the smooth operator he is, asked a friend to ask me to the Valentine’s dance on his behalf. I said yes! While we didn’t start dating right then, that small moment planted the seed for something special—one that would eventually bring us back together. Fast forward to high school, where fate stepped in once again. In the summer of 2016, I reached out to Devin on Snapchat (a true 21st-century love story). We talked for a few months, and on December 19, 2016, Devin officially asked me to be his girlfriend. It was a moment filled with excitement and promise—though neither of us could have predicted just how much our lives would intertwine from that point forward. After high school, we ventured off to different universities, but distance couldn’t keep us apart. Eventually, I made my way down I-79 to Slippery Rock to finish my undergrad, bringing us even closer. Those two years at SRU were filled with Starbucks dates between classes, lunches and dinners at Boozel, pick-ups and drop-offs at East Lake parking lot, and—of course—watching Devin play Fortnite in the apartment (a core memory, if you ask me). And honestly, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. After college, we bounced between our parents’ houses until we finally found a place of our own. Between fixing up the duplex and tackling one project after another, life felt like it was moving fast. Then came vacation—a trip that would bring the biggest surprise of my life.

Every time we go on vacation, we always set aside one night just for the two of us—a little dinner date away from the group. On Sunday, July 21, our first full day at the beach, we decided to keep up the tradition and head to the Conch Cafe for dinner. Looking back, I probably should have suspected something was up when Devin was running around acting strangely quiet before we left. The restaurant was about a mile from our beach house, and for some reason (that I now regret), I insisted we take the sidewalk instead of the beach—completely unaware that everyone Devin had invited was staying right along that main street. So, there we were, sweating in 90-degree heat, when Devin casually suggested, "Let’s walk back on the beach to catch the ocean breeze." Sounded like a great idea at the time, so I agreed without a second thought. Dinner was perfect—delicious food, frozen cocktails, and even an unexpected moment where a photographer at the restaurant snapped our picture (which, in hindsight, was very convenient). Devin ordered a piña colada to-go, and we starting walking toward the beach. As we walked toward the water, Devin asked me to hold his drink. I grabbed it and kept strolling along—until I realized he wasn’t following me. Turning around, I saw him on one knee, holding a ring box. Now, I knew the proposal was coming eventually, but on that vacation, at that moment in time, was not when I thought it was going to happen. I could not wrap my head around the fact that he just asked me to marry him and kept saying "Really? Are you serious? Really?" because it did not feel real. But once I processed that it was, in fact, real, I said "YES!" We made our way back to the house, both crying (happy tears, of course). We got halfway up the stairs to the kitchen and Devin started giggling—always a telltale sign that something was up. Then he said, "I have one more surprise." I rounded the corner to find a wall full of our family and friends waiting to celebrate with us. Having all of our loved ones (minus a few who couldn’t make it) there for the rest of the week was the icing on the cake. That week will forever be one of the best of my life. Over the years, we graduated high school and college, got big boy/big girl jobs, traveled to new places, became homeowners, and celebrated countless milestones and memories that will last a lifetime. But most importantly, we’ve grown up side by side, learning the importance of love, trust, and partnership. Now, as we stand on the brink of forever, we’re beyond excited to celebrate our love with all of you. Thank you for being part of our journey—we can’t wait to share our special day with the people who mean the most to us!