Our story started in a restaurant kitchen. I was working as a server and Mark was one of the cooks. One day I asked him for something in the window and flashed him a smile — and he says that was the moment he knew I was someone special that he wanted to know. A few days later, I ran into him in the freezer and asked his name… and completely got it wrong. It’s something we still laugh about to this day. Not long after that, I ended up leaving the job for unrelated reasons. Mark was disappointed and kept hoping I might come back, but he had no idea where I had gone. Finally, he asked a coworker about me and managed to find me! He invited me out for drinks with some friends, and that’s when I sadly had to tell him I wasn’t 21 yet. Instead of giving up, he used that as the perfect excuse to ask me out to dinner instead. After that first date, we started spending more and more time together, and before long he had become my best friend. Not long after, we went to a concert together — and from that night on, we were truly inseparable. On Christmas Eve in 2021, Mark asked me to be his girlfriend. I was surprised, but so excited, and that’s when our real journey together began. Over the years, we’ve become pillars in each other’s lives — growing into each other’s family through amazing adventures, unforgettable memories, endless laughter, incredible meals, and even the hardest moments. Then, after nearly four years together, Mark got down on one knee on the beach, surrounded by my family, and asked me to be his wife. It felt completely surreal — one of those moments you dream about but never quite believe will happen to you. We can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together and see what adventures are still ahead of us. We are so incredibly grateful for everyone who has continuously shown up, supporting and loving us unconditionally. We couldn’t be here without you all.