this is just the beginning

We met on a group blind date organized by Steve and Elizabeth Evans. Steve is in a small group with John, and I know Liz through the Junior League of Knoxville. We ate at one of our favorite restaurants, Soccer Taco, and then enjoyed listening to Tall Paul next door at The Casual Pint. John didn't waste any time, and immediately asked for my number, so he could take me on a date the following Friday. We have been together ever since!

We had spent that day driving around Cades Cove enjoying a beautiful and sunny Saturday in February. After leaving Cades Cove we decided to drive on the missing link of the Foothills Parkway. John suggested to stop at the final scenic overlook before leaving to take a selfie. After taking a few pictures, I wanted to leave because Tennessee was about to play Florida in basketball and the tipoff was in just a few minutes time. However, John said that we should just take a minute to look at the scenery. John started to talk about all the new experiences that we had that day, and that he was going to do something he's never done before. He said he was going to ask me to marry him. My response was a resounding, "No you're not." He said, "Yes, I am" and proceeded to get down on one knee, and asked me to marry him. I was in complete shock, and just shook my head YES!

2020 has brought a lot of changes in the world around us but one thing we didn't want to change was our wedding date. It was very important to John and me to stick to our original date and get married in Richmond. Little did we know, just about every plan we made had to be thrown out the window. During the quarantine, all of the Episcopal churches in Virginia were closed and no events were allowed to take place. A few weeks before the wedding we finally received permission from the church to be married outside on the front steps. However, on our way to Richmond two days before our wedding those plans changed. With the protests along Monument Avenue it was no longer safe to hold our ceremony at the church. John contacted his alma mater, St. Christopher's School, and asked permission to be married on the school grounds. They graciously obliged and John and I walked the campus that same day to figure out where our ceremony was to be held. On Saturday, June 6, 2020 we were married Under The Pines on the steps of Chamberlayne Hall. John's mom and family friend threw us the most intimate and perfect reception in the backyard of his parents home. It definitely wasn't the day we had planned a year and a half for but it was the most perfect day and we wouldn't change a thing!