We’re getting married!

Chris came into my life during a chance meeting after he invited his classmate, my roommate, over to a birthday party. We were all excited to meet the puppy Chris’ roommate had, but little did I know, that night I was meeting the love of my life. He strolled up to us in the parking lot of his apartment, proudly showed off his red mustang, and then walked us inside to the party. We had a few conversations about pizza and music that night, and a couple of weeks later I connected with him on Snapchat. We spent all day every day texting back and forth until he finally asked me on a date. Good thing I trusted him because he drove me over an hour outside of Denton to a cricket-covered roadhouse restaurant! It makes for a great story now, and after changing our plans during our first date, we finally went back and tried the food this year. I fell in love with Chris that first night, on the drive back to Denton, as he belted “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)” at the top of his lungs. I think we both knew this was something special by the time our second and third dates rolled around. I met Chris’ family on our second date and he met my family on our third and asked me to be his girlfriend that day. Since then, we’ve had the opportunity to learn about each other, grow into adults, start our careers, adopt our fur babies, and move into our first home by each other’s sides. Being best friends with the one you love is something so special that neither of us takes for granted. I am so grateful to be with this amazing man who consistently shows me what healthy love and kindness look like. Chris is the most amazing person I have ever met and I am so excited for our future together. I couldn’t wait for him to propose (just ask him) and now I can’t wait to marry him.

Celeste and I met through a mutual friend while in college at a party my roommates and I were hosting. At the party Celeste and I struck up conversation, mostly small talk but within our small talk I could immediately tell she was one of the sweetest, most kind-hearted people in the world. Our relationship originated through talks of music, foods, and our mutual love for animals. We talked non-stop. I just couldn’t get enough of her through text. Day-in and day-out, if I wasn’t busy, my fingers were typing just as fast as they could while trying to think of the next witty response to try and make the girl of my dreams like me (at the time I still wasn’t sure I had sealed the deal). I remember as if it were yesterday using Snapchat to message back and forth with her. On Snapchat, when the other person is replying, a notification is sent to your phone to let you know they are typing and every time I got the notification that Celeste was responding, my heart skipped a beat because that meant she was still interested. After a few weeks of mostly just talking through text and the occasional interaction in person, I finally got the courage to ask her on a date. I made a point to ask her in-person. I tried to be casual and play it cool, but I’m sure she could tell I was as nervous as can be. Thankfully, she said yes to a dinner date in Fort Worth (we still lived in Denton at this point). The plan in my brain was to take her to a more unique, rustic place called Margie’s Italian in northwest Fort Worth. The place’s exterior looked a bit rough from what I could tell by the pictures but all of the reviews were great, so I was willing to make our first date a bit of an adventure. After about an hour drive to the restaurant, we pull up and go to walk inside and see crickets everywhere. All over the sidewalk, the wall, and even on the window sills! We decided to improvise and just make the short drive over to Campisi’s. It was still Italian, and better yet- no crickets! I knew deep down, it didn’t really matter where we ate. I was still so nervous, I had no appetite. We get to Campisi’s and have a great dinner. Full of wonderful conversation, everything from parents, past relationships, and even pizza preferences. It didn’t take more than a few text conversations to know I really liked Celeste. After our first date, I knew I was in love. Fast-forward to now. We have spent so much time together. We’ve learned a ton about one another. Our likes, dislikes, how to irritate one another, and everything in between. While I’ve learned so much about the woman I’m going to marry and spend the rest of my life with, I still manage to find a new reason to love her every day. And, I know this will never change because Celeste is the most brilliant person I have ever met. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her by my side as not only my spouse but as my best friend.