Anabelle's Perspective: Looking back on the many stories of G and I, it’s nearly impossible to sum up the effortless, undeniable love that I’ve experienced in the last 7 years. I write these words with a heart full of gratitude. When I first met Gabe on New Year’s Eve freshman year at MSU, I had a bone-deep confidence that I’d met somebody who would change my life. For years, we were ships passing in the night - moving through the same town, our paths brushing past each other without meeting. Our brothers became teammates & friends; we lived under the same roof in the same dorm; Gabe once held the door for my parents & me, unnoticed. I now know God was quietly writing our story all along. After many “almost” moments, I first saw Gabe at our brothers’ basketball game. I thought he was the cutest boy I had ever seen. We look back and laugh at these first moments because we were too nervous to talk or even make eye contact. Christmas Day came, and my phone lit up with my forever favorite gift: “Gabe Tranel added you on Snapchat.” We talked nonstop for days. Gabe invited me to a New Year’s Eve party for our first date. Seven years later, I can still confidently say that I fell in love with him that first night. Through the years, Gabe was always a dreamer. He consistently pushed me to believe in myself & we held onto big hopes that carried us through ups and downs - the wild days of college, our first trip to Italy, the gut-wrenching choice to follow career opportunities in different cities, trips between San Diego and Austin that always felt too short, the day I moved to Austin, the unforgettable day when Gabe proposed at my family’s lake house, to today, where we get to celebrate this dream with all our favorite people in one room. I’ve longed for this day, I prayed over it - and soon realized Gabe is the answer to every one of my prayers, beyond anything I ever imagined. Gabe is remarkably gentle, fiercely strong, he is earnest and intentional, steadfast and joyful. He changed my entire perspective on what love can and should look like. He is my most precious gift & my best friend. Gabe says love is a choice - while I do believe that, and I will choose to love him the rest of my life, I also believe without a doubt an invisible string tied us together all along. Thank you for being here to celebrate our journey and love story. Gabe’s Perspective: I’ll always remember the first time I saw Anabelle. She was walking into a basketball game which our younger brothers were playing in. While I like to think I was being a supportive brother, I was more interested in seeing a girl. Don’t get me wrong, my brother had a pretty shot, but I was interested in something prettier ;) Unknown to either of us, at the end of our first semester of college, Anabelle & I lived on the same dorm floor. We didn’t know the other existed for far too long, but after our first moments together over winter break, our relationship hit the ground running. Navigating college together was a true blessing. We grew, made mistakes, found amazing friends, & painted the picture of our future together. From the moment we met, I knew I had met my wife, which made every memory even more special. Our time in each stage could be summed up by the phrase Anabelle has heard me say too much: “Enjoy the present, but look forward to the future.” With this mindset, we grew through college, traveled, spent time with family and friends, launched careers, and moved to Austin with gratitude & excitement. As I look ahead to our wedding, I’m beyond thankful for our story and am incredibly excited for the future. Anabelle seems to only get more beautiful each day. Her genuine, love-oriented, graceful outlook inspires everyone she meets. I’m lucky to support her through life & soon call her my wife. We are so thankful for our friends & family & cannot wait to celebrate!