We met in Boone, NC, at a woodworking workshop, that neither of us expected to mean anything more than a time to make wooden coffee scoops. We barely even talked, until a few weeks later.

So, I am sitting at home, editing photos, and scrolling social media and Amanda and I were tagged in the photo of the woodworking workshop. So I followed her on Instagram and about a week later she posted some really artistic things in her story. It caught my eye and I initiated conversation, and that's when things started to click. Got her number about a few hours later, and I think we didn't stop texting for a few days straight. Our conversations were full, our interest was high, and then SHE asked ME out on a date the upcoming weekend!! Impressed by her boldness, I agreed, and I am glad I did. it was the best date of my entire life. From talks about God, to books, to music, to artistic taste and world views, we clicked in ways that made me feel more comfortable with anyone than I ever had.

I just want to start by saying that I did not ask Kenneth out on a date. More on that later, though. I remember meeting him at the workshop; he was showing off and he made a fancy coffee scoop. The next day I noticed we were tagged in a photo together from the workshop, and he followed me on Instagram. He responded to a post of mine and then we started chatting on Instagram. He made an excuse that he "had slow data" because he was at a concert and gave me his number. (Between you and me, I knew that wasn't true.) We started FaceTiming and I remember that we had the best conversations. I casually mentioned that he should come to Charlotte sometime....maybe next weekend and we could hangout. See! I did not ask him out on a date...just casually mentioned him coming to Charlotte. But anyways, he did end up coming to Charlotte and our first date was amazing!

Kenneth here: Focusing on God and our Families, we started receiving constant affirmations through prayer and loved ones. So we started talking seriously about our future. One night, after hours of FaceTiming with Amanda, I felt pure peace and started looking at rings. I started praying for the next steps in our relationship and eventually bought the ring. After spending a week with her family for Thanksgiving, I had an amazing talk with her dad in which he granted his permission. All of her friends were overjoyed. I started planning. Snow. Scarves. Picturesque. Intimate. I planned it for January thinking that was my best chance for snow. It was Early December and I was on a work trip in Cambodia. Amanda texted me telling me it was supposed to snow when I got back and she didn't know if she could come visit me that weekend and my mind started racing. Everything was ready, and the snow was gonna fall, so I got serious that night. Using the 12 hour time difference to my advantage, I stayed up late planning the engagement for that weekend. I convinced Amanda to brave the snow storm, bought plane tickets for her best friend, and asked her roommate to plan an engagement party the following day. I updated her dad and then everything was ready. Until the day of. No. Snow. I had Amanda convinced we were going into the mountains to take a Christmas Photo, and she was clueless. The problem was I no longer had a plan. But that ended up being the best plan of all, because Amanda ended up helping me plan our engagement without her even knowing. We agreed on Roan Mountain as a backdrop for our "Christmas Photo", and then she ended up choosing the area that we setup the camera. After everything was running, I walked over to her and dropped to a knee. It was exhilarating, emotional, and joyous. She didn't suspect a thing, and if you know Amanda, that's a grand feat. Afterwards, we celebrated with family and friends, including her best friend who surprised her. It was amazing.

It's funny how God can use anything to orchestrate the perfect stories. As story tellers, we cherish the perfect moments in our relationship. Fog clouds dissipating to present a billion stars on a midnight picnic. Searching for cows hiding in kudzu at a family farm, with nothing but a harmonica as a form of cow communication. And then the woodshop. The day before the proposal, one of Kenneth's friends came up with a brilliant idea, and Kenneth chased it. He called Avodah Woodwork, and they agreed to make him a wooden ring box that night, last minute, in the same woodshop that we met. It has stood to be one of our favorite details in our story.

It’s funny how you think everything is in your control, but plans can change in an instant. As COVID-19 started to interfere with plans, we had to make those changes. With travel bans, group restrictions, canceled flights, and counsel from our families, we decided it would be unsafe and unwise to continue with our big wedding on April 18. This left us with an active Tennessee marriage license and no wedding to use it. We prayed and talked to our parents further, and we all decided elopement for this season would be best, and have our huge ceremony when it was safer. So we made some phone calls and rounded up our witnesses and our puppy, and began our trek up Roan Mountain, where we got engaged! What came of it was a beautiful, whimsical, and intimate wedding ceremony, where we both agreed to marry our best friend. We cannot wait to see you all for our new wedding date, August 28th, 2021!