We're Getting Married!

On Saturday, November 16, 2013 during my senior year at Georgia College, I traveled to Auburn University to visit my best friend, Christina Rogers (bridesmaid). It was our favorite football tradition- watching the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry: Georgia Bulldogs vs. Auburn Tigers After watching Georgia get defeated from Auburn’s Hail Mary pass, Christina and I headed to Auburn’s infamous Sky Bar to continue celebrating the evening. Christina and I got separated at the bar. I grabbed my phone and tried to reach a signal in the mass of people. While trying to reach Christina, Jordan spotted me in the crowd and approached me. We hit it off immediately and introduced ourselves over two bud lights. After several conversations and swing dancing to Tim Tyler, Jordan dropped me back off at Christina’s dorm room and we said goodbye. I traveled back to Milledgeville, Georgia the next day thinking to myself I would probably never see Jordan again. Sure enough, one text message led to another, and months later, Jordan and I found ourselves traveling back and forth to see each other. This was the beginning of our long-distance relationship.

Our favorite place to spend our anniversaries each fall since we started dating has always been Seaside, Florida. So naturally it seemed like the best place to take the next step and ask Jeannine to marry me! Her being one of 7 kids, and her family constantly traveling around the world, it was difficult to pin down the exact date and wrangle everyone. But thankfully, her family and friends we so gracious in making the trip down to the coast to surprise Jeannine on the big day! We started the day out in Rosemary Beach, and I invited a dear friend along to throw Jeannine off the scent. I think she had an idea it was happening, but once I told her one of my friends was meeting us up for drinks and riding out there with it, I think it solidly put the thought out of her mind. We spend the day chatting, walking around stopping through shops, all the while her family was arriving into town being careful not to run into us by accident. When the time came, we pulled into Seaside for one last stop to eat at Bud and Alleys. I asked our friend to take some pictures of us in front of the Christmas tree in Seaside square and then for the last picture I asked if we could take one last photo. I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me! She was so surprised! Coincidentally we ran into some longtime friends from Jordan’s days back at Auburn! The funny part is, they has just ran into our parents in the restaurant and almost dropped the second surprise that her entire family had come down from Atlanta to surprise her in the restaurant! They guided us into the private room where everyone was congratulating us on the engament that had happened just moments prior, and she had absolutely no idea everyone was there. It was the perfect memory to attach to the perfect day.