We're getting married!

Carter and Karissa first met and became close friends in early 2019. That summer, as Carter prepared to leave for Florida State University and Karissa entered her senior year of high school, they became inseparable. Despite the distance, they managed to see each other every two weeks, taking turns making the drive between home and Tallahassee. Their commitment carried them through Carter’s graduation and beyond. Now, five years later, their love has only grown stronger with time. Carter’s proposal was a heartfelt recreation of their very first date. He took Karissa to Ciao, an Italian restaurant in Fernandina Beach, just as he had years earlier. After dinner, they began walking toward Fantastic Fudge, retracing the same steps they had taken before. On that first date, Carter had gotten down on one knee by the fountain downtown and given Karissa his pinky ring, asking her to be his girlfriend. This time, as they approached the same fountain, Carter knelt once again—only now, he asked her to be his wife.