It all began in the most unexpected of places, Green Bay, Wisconsin. I, Gabby, was working for the Green Bay Packers, and Tyler was on assignment at a nearby hotel. Two Tennessee souls, hundreds of miles from home, unknowingly crossing paths in a city neither of us expected would change our lives forever. We first connected on social media, realizing quickly we were both members of the "Phirst Pham": Tyler, a proud man of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and I, a devoted woman of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. That initial connection sparked curiosity. But what truly surprised us both was that we were not only Greek, we were also two church kids from Tennessee, now navigating life in Green Bay, WI. As we talked, the conversations ran deep. We bonded over our faith, both saved, sanctified, and Holy Ghost-filled, our love for sports, especially football, our shared goofiness, and our deep-rooted commitment to family. We even discovered we were both one of two siblings: I have two little sisters, and Tyler has two older brothers who are also D9 members. It felt like every new detail only drew us closer. On an Ice Cold Wisconsin day, I scored some tickets to a Milwaukee Bucks game and planned to go with my roommate, Ally. And if you know us, then you know, of course, we had to make it a double date. I invited Tyler, and Ally brought a friend. What started as a fun night out quickly became so much more. We drove two hours from Green Bay, not knowing each other beyond our messages and posts, laughing that it felt like something straight out of a Lifetime movie. But during that drive, something special happened. We shared gospel music, opened up about our faith, and talked about our childhoods growing up in church. In just a few hours, we connected on a deep spiritual level—one that laid the foundation for everything that came after. What we didn’t know then was that our first date would be the start of a forever kind of love. The next day, Tyler invited me to the movies to see Scream. Now, anyone who knows me knows I don’t do scary movies, but something about him made me want to be brave. When we showed up completely unplanned, we were both wearing our 1906/1908 crewnecks. A God wink. After the movie, Tyler went straight to work, and I stayed with him during his shift. That spontaneous time together led to learning strolls, laughter, and an early morning breakfast at The Creamery Downtown. When Tyler told me it was his last day in Green Bay, I half-joked, “You’re going to disappear after this.” But as we can all see now, he never did. Instead, fate gave us another chance. A few weeks later, Tyler’s new permanent job was at a hotel in Memphis, but he had to complete training in Wausau, Wisconsin, only an hour from Green Bay. And of course, we didn’t let that opportunity go to waste. Every moment we could spend together, we did. From then on, our love only grew stronger. Through distance, new jobs, different cities, and big dreams, we stayed committed to walking hand-in-hand, rooted in faith and filled with joy.

Since our very first date was at a Milwaukee Bucks game, it only felt right that Tyler chose that special place to propose. It was a full-circle moment, a celebration of how far we’ve come, and a reminder that love often begins in the most unexpected places. Surrounded by excitement, memories, and God’s grace, he asked me to be his forever, and I said yes.