Janelle and Sean first connected online, but they didn’t meet in person until Janelle’s very first weekend in Wilmington, NC for college. Sean was stationed at Camp Lejeune, and they both decided to take a chance and hang out. That one spontaneous weekend turned into something so much more! After that, they were inseparable. Every weekend was theirs, filled with beach days, late-night drives, spending time with friends and definitely painting the town red but also learning everything about each other. When life took them 10 hours apart, they didn’t miss a beat. They made long distance work, flying back and forth once a month just to spend a few days together while Janelle finished school. It wasn’t always easy, but loving each other has always been the easiest part. From that very first weekend, the rest has truly been history.

The night before Janelle’s college graduation, Sean pulled off the surprise of a lifetime. With the help of Janelle’s best friend, Autumn, he planned the most spectacular beachside proposal at South End, Wrightsville Beach the very place where their love story began. Under the pretense of a simple “date night walk” before her family’s graduation dinner, Sean led Janelle down to the beach just as the sun began to set. As they strolled along the sand, Janelle was completely distracted, stopping to admire the sweet hand-drawn signs that local kids had made for the protected bird sanctuary. But the moment she finally looked up, her heart stopped. Ahead of them was a breathtaking setup of pink flowers (of course), soft decor, and the golden glow of the sunset painting the perfect backdrop. Janelle dropped her phone in disbelief as they approached, overcome with emotion. One of the hardest people in the world to surprise, she instantly started crying and fell to her knees in total shock. And there, in the city where they met and first fell in love, Janelle said yes to the most perfect guy. To top it all off, her parents and brother came out from hiding and surprised them both with champagne to celebrate the start of their next chapter.