Like most love stories, it started in a room where human beings get chopped up. Alex took a job at the newly opened Northside Cherokee Operating Room in 2020 right after graduating nursing school from Kennesaw State University and Erik worked for a medical device company whose biggest contract was moving his work up to the new campus in Canton, Georgia. They would work together in neurosurgery cases helping patients, while Erik cracked jokes hoping to get a laugh out of the cute new circulator (She was the only bright spot of those hour each way commutes at 5am). Alex wore scissors on her badge that covered her name and Erik would always ask to borrow them to try and get a look at her name, took more tries than he's proud of. Not to mention, nothing Erik does at work require scissors, so he'd have to walk around for minute looking busy with scissors. After a year and some change of working in the same room 3 days a week (as well as a helpful encouragement from co-workers) Erik finally got the nerve to ask Alex on a date. First date might be sushi, a walk, maybe a coffee. Erik, knowing Alex loved the beach, asked when her next beach trip was and she said it was the next weekend for her birthday. "Cool, I'm coming". Bold move for someone who had only hung out with her one time outside of work... She explained that it wasn't with any hospital people and he would have to literally meet everyone in a condo 5 hours away. Undeterred, he drove down to Panama City on a Friday after work and joined the party, stole a kiss listening to live music at Tootsies the next night, and never looked back. They found a year of workouts, music bingos, and margaritas trying not to piss off their at-the-time roommates before deciding to get an apartment for themselves and Tony (great cat) in Woodstock, Georgia. That's where Erik started his company and Alex started climbing up the ranks at Northside until February of this year where, with a ring in hiding, Alex and Erik bought their first home together in Canton, Georgia. With a home purchased together and a cat that already loved Erik more than Alex, Erik knew it was time to pop the big question. So he got Alex's boss to offer her a Friday off. "Oh perfect! Let's go to the beach!" (Nothing wins Alex's heart like a last second trip to the beach). So unbeknownst to Alex, Erik had the neighbors drive down to Rosemary Beach as well with the ring, a camera, and bottle of champagne in their car. 30 minutes before the big moment, after standing in the street practicing what to say, hands shaking, Erik met the neighbors and got them set up on the beach while Alex got ready for what she thought was just another dinner on vacation. Right as they were ready to leave Erik asked "How about a walk on the beach?" where they came down to a blanket, bottle of champagne and a picnic basket. Erik walked up, grabbed the little black box from the picnic basket, and got on a knee. I don't think either one of them could tell you what was said other than "Yes!". With the wedding in plan, you can still find them in their townhouse, meal prepping, working out, going to music bingo, and slipping out for the occasional margarita.