We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Brayden first caught Ana’s attention in August 2016 at the University of Illinois Springfield’s athlete orientation. As the freshman baseball players were introduced, Ana nudged her friend and stated, half-jokingly and half prophetically, that she had “dibs” on him and had just seen her future husband. She made a mental note of his name, already hoping their paths would cross soon. Brayden noticed Ana shortly after in the UIS cafeteria, unaware that she was already interested in meeting him, and that when it didn’t happen soon enough for her, she would eventually give fate a gentle nudge. One weekend early in the semester, Ana missed an event where freshmen connected and exchanged social media information. She was disappointed she’d missed an opportunity to meet Brayden, but still insisted she wanted their first encounter to happen organically. That lasted for… about a week. After seeing him in athlete study hours again, she finally asked her friend for Brayden’s Snapchat, still promising herself she wouldn’t message him first. That promise held for a few days. One snap later, Brayden immediately replied, and the two began talking nonstop. He soon asked Ana to “show him around Springfield,” which she did… by taking him to Chili’s. Glamorous or not, it didn’t matter; they were inseparable from that moment. Within a month, Brayden was practically living at her apartment and even met her family, including her grandparents, at her little brother’s football game. By October, Brayden asked Ana to be his girlfriend with a Halloween-themed gift basket, marking the beginning of a love story neither of them could have predicted. In August 2017, Ana transferred to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. They faced long distances and busy college schedules, with Brayden driving hours, sometimes just for one night, between class and practice to see her. Ana spent weekdays in Champaign and weekends in Springfield visiting Brayden. She cheered him on at baseball games; he went with her to her sorority date events. Their lives were separate, but their hearts insisted on staying together. Then came March 2020. COVID disrupted their senior year, canceling graduation celebrations and creating uncertainty, but also bringing them closer. That summer, they found jobs, adopted their sweet puppy Ace, and moved to Overland Park, Kansas. In late 2021, tragedy struck when Ace became terminally ill. Caring for him through his final days was one of the most challenging experiences they’d ever faced, but it also revealed the depth of their compassion, resilience, and partnership. They realized they were capable of surviving the darkest storms side-by-side. Soon after, they welcomed Echo into their family, expanding their hearts again. By 2023, they were ready for a new adventure. They bought a fixer-upper and spent two years renovating every inch, thanks mainly to YouTube University, determination, and Brayden’s patience to keep them level-headed, paired with Ana’s persistent project management to keep them on track. Renovating a home together was chaotic and exhausting, yet it was still one of their favorite shared accomplishments. But the biggest dream was still ahead: living near the beach and growing their life together somewhere warm. After years of vacations to the Carolinas, they finally made the move. In July 2025, they packed two U-Hauls, hitched their cars, squeezed Echo into the front seat, and, with 80 feet of their belongings heading east, they drove 16 hours to Charleston. Now settled into their dream location, Ana and Brayden can’t wait to welcome their loved ones to Charleston and to Seabrook Island, sharing the beauty, warmth, and coastal views they fell in love with. It is the perfect place for them to begin the next chapter of a love story that started with an athlete orientation, a bold “dibs,” and a simple Chili’s date… now shaped by years of love, growth, and all that they have built together.