In the year 1994 — when flannel was fashionable and nobody knew what a “swipe right” was — fate arrived on a perfectly ordinary Sunday afternoon. Actually, fate arrived courtesy of Gerri’s younger sister Joanne and co-conspirator Cathleen. The dynamic duo met Charles at a P Dubs party earlier that weekend and … after conducting what we can only assume was a highly scientific and extremely thorough evaluation (read: “He’s such a cutie!”), decided he needed to be delivered directly to Gerri. So naturally, they brought him home. Because that’s what you did in the 90s. You found a promising human and physically transported him to your sister. And just like that — no dating apps, no algorithms, no compatibility quizzes — Gerri met Charles the old-fashioned way: via a sister-approved doorstep delivery. What happened next? A Sunday afternoon introduction turned into conversations, laughter, and the kind of connection that doesn’t need Wi-Fi. Who knew that one party and a casual “You should meet my sister” would turn into a love story decades in the making? Over the next 32 years — yes, thirty-two — Gerri and Charles perfected what can only be described as the world’s longest slow burn. They dated. They took breaks. They circled back. They made memories. They stayed in touch. They proved that “it’s complicated” can, in fact, be a lifestyle! Through it all, there was always something there — a connection that refused to quietly fade into the background. Friends? Yes. Former flame? Occasionally. Meant to be? Very much so. Stubborn? Absolutely. Then came 2020. The year the world hit pause. While everyone else was busy learning how to bake sourdough and attend Zoom happy hours, Gerri and Charles had a realization: if we can survive a global pandemic… maybe it’s finally time to stop the on-again/off-again routine and make this thing official. Christmas 2020 brought an engagement (because subtlety has never really been their style), and soon after, a bold move: goodbye New York, hello South Carolina! In 2022, they packed up decades of memories and bought a house down South, trading city hustle for Southern charm. For the past three years, they’ve been acclimating to Southern life — learning the difference between “y’all” and “all y’all,” adjusting to sweet tea as a beverage category, and fully embracing porch-sitting as an activity. And now… after 32 years, countless chapters, one pandemic epiphany, and a significant address change — it’s finally time. Time to tie the knot. Time to make it official-official. Time to prove that sometimes the best love stories aren’t rushed… they’re just fashionably three decades late! We can’t wait to say “I do” in front of all of you — the family and friends who have witnessed the on-again, off-again, always-in-touch journey, cheered us on, and somehow never lost faith that we’d get here. Thank you for being an integral part of our story. Now let’s celebrate the fact that it only took us 32 years to plan this party!