November 2015 While we had shared many friends and had even been in the same room multiple times over a few years, it was not until Thanksgiving of 2015 that we ever really had a conversation with each other. Unfortunately, Christine happened to be on a first date with someone else at the time. Despite the other guy, we actually ended up talking to each other most of the night, but since she had to go back to Charleston the next day, nothing materialized. It all came together on New Year’s Eve of that same year when Christine came back to Charlotte to celebrate with our mutual friends, that we really connected for the first time. We talked all night long and then throughout the next day. Everything about us seemed to fit together perfectly. We knew, that even though Christine had to go back to Charleston the next day, and even though there would be a three hour drive between us, that this was something special and something we wanted to pursue further. After about a month of trips back and forth from Charlotte to Charleston, we started officially dating. We did long distance for about a year before Christine’s job let her relocate to Charlotte and work remotely. We now live together in South End with our little pup, Abigail. Three years later, we are still as happy as that first night we met.

September 28, 2018 Justin knew that even though Christine moved to Charlotte to be with him that Charleston still had a large piece of her heart, so he planned to give her another reason to remember the city by making it the place where they would get engaged. He liked the idea of it being a surprise, so he only told a few close family members and a few friends from Charleston to make certain arrangements. Justin, along with Codee (the Matron of Honor) and her husband Tom, made up a story about Codee getting a big job promotion that we knew would get her wanting to go down to Charleston for the weekend to surprise her. While they drove the three hours down to Charleston, Christine had zero idea what was about to happen. She was too worried about surprising Codee (and about her nails being painted, which she conveniently painted minutes before we exited the car). Justin, on the other hand, knew that he was about to ask the most important question of his life. He drove her out to Pitt Street Bridge, one of the most romantic spots in Charleston, walked her to the end (timing the sunset perfectly), and while she was still completely oblivious as to what was happening, she turned around and he got down on one knee and they started their journey to becoming husband and wife. Afterwards, they went to a local bar on the water where all of their Charleston friends were waiting to celebrate with them. “It was perfect.” - Christine