How We Met Chris and Amanda’s story began with one simple swipe. In late 2021, they were both living in Florida, Chris in Daytona Beach finishing his third year of chiropractic school, and Amanda in college in Orlando. Thankfully, Amanda happened to be visiting her parents' house one weekend, which, as luck would have it, was about 15 miles closer to Chris and just within his dating app radius. Call it timing, fate, or just great luck… either way, it worked. Their first date was in New Smyrna Beach at a bar called Flagler Tavern. Before they even officially met, Amanda pulled up to the bar, rolled down her window, and asked a stranger to parallel park her car. That stranger? Chris. Naturally, he hopped in and parked it, all before saying a single word. When they finally did meet, Chris thought Amanda was gorgeous. Amanda? She didn’t run, which was a great sign. They walked along the beach and talked for hours. At the bar, Amanda asked Chris to order her “whatever girls usually get.” He chose a vodka cranberry. Amanda secretly hated it… but drank it anyway. That night kicked off something real, a connection that would grow across cities, and countless late-night facetimes. The Early Days Things moved quickly after that first date, they officially started dating in February 2022 and were soon inseparable. Despite living in different cities, they made the drive down I-4 more times than they can count. They explored Florida together, met each other’s friends, introduced one another to their families, and built a relationship that just clicked. When Chris graduated and moved back to his hometown in North Carolina, they spent over a year long-distance, facetiming, flying, and counting down to the next visit. Then Amanda made the big leap and moved to North Carolina to start a new chapter with Chris. Together, they’ve built a life filled with laughter, adventure, and (a lot of) good food. A few of their favorite things: New York Giants Football Sundays (they suffer together) Pool days & beach weekends Traveling, usually around food stops Time with friends and family The Proposal Back in October 2024, Chris secretly began designing a custom engagement ring. He worked with a childhood friend from his old neighborhood who now works in the jewelry business. What started with phone calls turned into 3D CAD designs, and eventually a trip to New York to handpick the perfect diamond in the Diamond District. Since Amanda couldn’t know a thing, Chris created a full fake chiropractic convention, complete with a PowerPoint presentation, itinerary, and a very real cover story. Once the ring was finished, he asked Amanda’s dad for his blessing and started planning the big moment. The challenge? Amanda is very hard to surprise. Chris told her he was receiving an award from his networking group, and they’d be attending a formal banquet in Raleigh. That gave her a reason to dress up. Then, just five minutes before the proposal, he casually mentioned needing to stop by Fenton (a shopping area near their home) to pick up a housewarming gift for a “friend who just moved in.” Meanwhile, Amanda's entire family flew to North Carolina to be there when Chris popped the question. When they arrived at Fenton, the proposal setup was ready and Amanda was completely surprised. Chris got down on one knee…and she said yes! Afterward, they took photos together and then walked up to the restaurant where both of their families were waiting to celebrate. Amanda was speechless. Chris was relieved. And the best chapter of their lives was just beginning.