Grant and Sonya’s story began in the fall of 2016 at Radford University, when Grant’s roommate, Trevor (shoutout, Trev), introduced him to Sonya’s friend group. What started as a casual friendship quickly became years of unforgettable memories filled with constant hangouts, questionable study sessions, spring break adventures, and living within a two-mile radius of each other and their closest friends. Somewhere along the way in 2017, their friendship grew into something more. At first, they tried to keep it quiet, largely because their friends were convinced that dating would “ruin the friend group.” Thankfully, they ignored the warnings and officially began dating on September 8, 2018. Not long after, they realized they were already spending every day together, so moving in seemed like the logical next step — a bold decision for two college students who still had plenty to learn about one another. Then came COVID, and suddenly they found themselves together 24/7. As it turns out, surviving a pandemic is either the fastest way to discover you’re completely incompatible or the clearest sign that you’ve found your person. Luckily, for Grant and Sonya, it was the latter. After graduation, they packed up their Radford apartment and moved back to Northern Virginia, where they lived with Grant’s family while beginning their first “real adult jobs” (a special thank you to Rob and Suz!). Eventually, they moved into their first apartment together in Tysons Corner and began building the life they had always imagined. On their sixth anniversary, Grant planned to propose during a hike that Sonya very much did not want to go on because it interfered with Football Sunday — and she had money on the games. Between complaining about the heat, asking how much farther they had to walk, and insisting their golden retriever, Tito, needed water immediately, she unknowingly derailed Grant’s carefully planned proposal. Instead, after stopping early on the trail, Sonya turned around from filling Tito’s water bowl to find Grant down on one knee holding the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. Once the shock wore off and her brain finally rebooted, she said yes. Since then, they’ve made a few more moves, purchased their first home together near the water in Norfolk, Virginia, and navigated every season of life side by side. Ironically, the same friends who once warned them, “Don’t do it,” eventually became the people asking, “So… when’s the wedding?” Now, nearly a decade after they first met, Grant and Sonya are finally doing the damn thing — surrounded by the very same friends and family who have been cheering them on since the beginning. And they couldn’t be more excited to celebrate this next chapter with all of you.