We're Getting Married!

Nick and Kaitlyn met through greek life at the University of South Florida in 2016. When New Year's Eve was coming up, Nick "slid into the DM's" (on Groupme to be exact) to ask her what her plans were. After a few study sessions, dining hall dates, and social functions later, it was clear that they could not go 24 hours without talking to each other. From the first time they met, they knew this relationship was like no other. It was basically love at first sight!

After a few months of officially dating, Nick decided it was time for Kaitlyn to come visit his hometown to meet his parents and experience the magic of Cocoa, FL. During their visit, they decided to go on an adventure! It was a beautiful Florida day so they grabbed some paddleboards and headed to the river. They paddled to a remote island and set up their hammock for a day of relaxing. Nick, being the true romantic he is, surprised Kaitlyn by carving "NF + KG" on a tree. It was during this time that Nick first said the words "I love you." Kaitlyn, who had been anxiously awaiting this moment replied with an emphatic "I love you too!" Feeling on cloud 9, Nick swooped up Kaitlyn and carried her into the crystal clear waters for a swim. Nick went to toss her into the water, but his superhuman strength betrayed him. He miscalculated his power and threw her a little too far... not knowing there was a jagged rock hiding under the water that Kaitlyn would then deeply cut her hand on. Nick rushed Kaitlyn back to shore to clean out the deep cut with the only disinfectant on hand, beer, and used his shirt to stop the bleeding. They took this as a sign that it was time to pack up and head back to shore. While paddling back, the wind picked up ferociously, making it impossible for Kaitlyn to paddle with her one functioning hand. So they tied Kaitlyn's board to Nick's, and he continued paddling with her in tow. Given the fierce headwind and the added drag of a second board, the trip back took 3 times as long. Once they returned to the Flint household, Kaitlyn put on some actual disinfectant and wrapped her hand in bandages for the remainder of the trip. To this day, Kaitlyn still has a thin scar on her left palm to remind her of the day Nick first said he loved her.

For Christmas, Nick went home to Cocoa while Kaitlyn traveled to Naples to spend time with her family. Kaitlyn's parents told her about the upcoming family photoshoot they had booked at the Naples Botanical Gardens, but as you can imagine, there would be a twist. After taking some family photos at different locations around the gardens, the photographer told Kaitlyn to walk ahead so she could "check the lighting". While Kaitlyn was hitting her poses, little did she know Nick was hiding just a few feet away behind a pillar. Nick quietly stepped out and walked towards her with the ring in his pocket. He continued walking forward until she heard him right behind her, to which she turned around and let out an excited yell. With Kaitlyn's family watching and Nick's Mom on Facetime, he gave a loving speech and got down on one knee. Through her excited tears, she was able to nod and say yes as he slid the ring onto her finger. They embraced and took pictures at the Botanical Gardens, followed by a celebratory feast at Sea Salt.