Our story began on a cool, clear night in January 2023. Both of us were in Charleston, S.C. in celebration of two others: my sister Kathleen and Alaina’s childhood friend Jack who were getting married. Unbeknownst to either of us (really just me), we had both just discovered our One. With the helpful nudge from an invested bystander, some sparkling conversation, and the courage to ask for her number, we started talking. Becoming more and more enamored with one another, our conversations led to a brazen idea, but one that had immense potential—an international first date! Taking a gigantic leap of faith, I flew Alaina halfway around the world to Japan for a two-week long date. It was textbook fairytale, and each of us came away from it with marriage on the mind (again, just me since Alaina had decided from the get-go that I was her husband-to-be). Luckily I got my next orders to South Carolina, a mere 6 hours away from where she lived in Tampa, and we were able to continue to visit one another. After MONTHS of careful planning and coordination, I proposed to Alaina one beautiful afternoon and received the only answer I wanted to hear, a resounding yes! A couple months later we moved her into our house in South Carolina and began our life together. Such a romantic and star-struck tale could only continue with just as magical of a celebration this summer, and we are both EXTREMELY excited to share the opening of the next chapter in our lives with you on May 25th!