It's a forever kind of thing...

She was just an aca-girl and he was just an aca-boy... Being in two different a cappella groups at the University of Delaware, Anthony and Ianna's paths were destined to cross. And they eventually did in February of 2010. Ianna was a junior and president of the Golden Blues and Anthony had just joined the YChromes. It was on one of Anthony's first nights in the group that they found themselves at the same party at one of the YChromes' houses on Tyre Avenue. Standing with a group of her Golden Blues friends, Anthony mistook her long, curly hair for dreadlocks. Struck by her confidence, presence, and challenging nature, he approached her at the party that night. Their first meeting was layered with snarky words and phrases, casual colloquialisms, and overall banter. Of all the guys Ianna had met so far, Anthony was the only one who could keep up with her and their banter, although heated, lit a spark. Their not-so-sweet opening conversation on Tyre Avenue laid the groundwork for a relationship that has stood the test of time, distance, and frustration.   3 months later, they shared their first kiss... 3 months after that, they went on their first date... and here we are over 8 years later.

Anthony knew from the beginning that this was where it would end. At camp. Since the start, camp was at the heart of Ianna. More than a place, but a legacy & history that encapsulates her being in a way so strange & foreign it must be beheld to truly comprehend. So Anthony did. He beheld the crap out of it & forged his own path. Anthony’s first summer at camp in 2017 fulfilled a promise made early in their relationship; she had been asking him to join her for a summer for a while now. However, Anthony returned on his own accord for a second summer with an agenda: to pop the question. In 2018, on Ianna's birthday, the day before camp started, Anthony took Ianna to dinner, letting her choose the restaurant (of course). They had a lovely dinner at the Local Table & Tap in White Lake. Full of nerves & nibbling his way through a delicious dinner, Anthony listened to her excitement & stress as she unloaded her goals for the summer. Casually clutching the ring box to make sure it hadn’t apparated away, he playfully, then forcefully, argued against her rushing back to meet the buses filled with the Florida campers. BUT having gained super secret approval from the camp powers that be, Anthony grew more intent on his goal… When they returned, Anthony gave Ianna her presents, but let her know there was one more surprise. He led her down through the camp she loved to one of her favorite spots, a quiet place overlooking Union Lake. Ianna anticipated cake & balloons, a true CBR birthday party. However, when they arrived at the overlook, they sat on the rock steps & spoke about the joys of the past year & the excitement of summer. Anthony slid down to a knee, looked up at the woman he intended to marry, & spoke his honest truth. About their past, their present, & their future. The words solely intended for the two of them. Camp was no longer just a part of Ianna's story alone, it was a part of their story as a couple. Then came the moment when he asked… Her answer was yes.