Kyle and I met on the dating app, Tinder. I had never used a dating app before and was scared to meet some creep, so I was very cautious when navigating who I “swiped right” on. Kyle passed my creep test, but even though he did I actually still turned him down the first time he asked me on a date 😅 It was a little too soon for me, so I used my summer class finals as an excuse (that was conveniently true) and said I needed to focus on studying that week. After finals were over I gave in and VERY nervously said yes to meeting up with this internet man. We ate at Mi Cocina (Kyles pick) and before we were even seated we couldn’t stop talking to each other. The poor waitress had to come by three times to get our order because we hadn’t even gotten to looking at the menu. We must have sat there for 3 or 4 hours talking, but eventually the restaurant started getting busy and we decided we should give the waitress her table back (and tip her more than well). Then outside when we were saying goodbye, Kyle attempted to go in for a kiss (which I WAS NOT ready for, as much as I liked him), so I quickly turned my head and there was this awkward sliding edge-of-mouth-across-my-cheek-kiss. Our first awkward moment!! We planned our second date then and there for the very next day and have practically been inseperable ever since. Over time we even found out that we grew up in the same town and went to rival highschools at the same time as each other. It’s insane how we never crossed paths before the randomness of Tinder, because we have come up with so many times where we were likely at the same place at the same time or had mutual friends. Somehow it was meant to be.

Because my ring is a family heirloom, we had taken it to get it sized before the engagement. I knew that no matter what and no matter who, I wanted to use the ring for my engagement and wedding. About 3 weeks later it was ready, but my parents didn’t tell me and actually said it was going to take another week. Then, on the day of Kyle’s college graduation for his Bachelors in Criminal Justice we walked across campus to a fountain for some photos and all of a sudden he’s got my ring in his hand! My mom had let him know it was ready and gave it to him that day! I cried, had my whole moment, obviously said yes, and we’ve been so excited ever since!

One person I (the bride) have always looked forward to having at my wedding is my Mimi, Betty Higgins. I grew up fully expecting and never questioning the fact that she would be there. Unfortunately, she passed unexpectedly a little less than a year after her husband, my wonderful Grandad, Richard, in 2018. When they got married it was on his birthday, so I figured that I would like to follow in their footsteps in my own way by getting married on the day of Mimis birthday - November 21st. I even had the wonderful choice of using a family ring as my own, and my wedding ring is my Great Grandmother Freda Taylors, who was my Mimis mom. It is from around 1929-1930, when my Great Grandad Houston Taylor gave it to Freda several years after originally giving her a plain band (he had given her the band in 1926). There are many people who won’t be at our wedding that we sorely miss and would give anything to have with us, but the best we can do is incorporate and remember them. One thing I know that my Grandad Charles would have loved is the pine interior of the ceremony space, and seeing his grandaughter so happy.