Gage and I met in September 2022 in Austin, about two months after I moved here by myself. On our first date, we went to Alcove Cantina in Round Rock, TX. As I was pulling up, I saw a super cute guy sitting on the bench outside the restaurant and hoped it was Gage. I became really nervous and excited. Fortunately, Gage was indeed the cute guy on the bench. He greeted me with a hug, and we went inside to sit at the bar, where they were playing live music. We quickly started chatting and realized how much we had in common, and I loved his outlook on life. I was especially excited to learn he was a practicing Catholic, which definitely earned him bonus points with my dad! We talked for hours about life and didn’t want the night to end. Since it was a Tuesday work night, we eventually had to part ways. He walked me to my car, hugged me goodbye, and let me know he’d love to do it again, which I wholeheartedly agreed to. Since that first date, we’ve been nearly inseparable. We’ve gone to A&M games, hiked, traveled, and attended church together, among many other things. We both met each other’s parents, and the support from our families has reinforced that we were meant to be together. Almost two years later, we felt more than ready to commit to each other and to God through marriage. Gage proposed on May 11, 2024, in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, during a hiking and camping trip. It was a surprise, but in the best way possible. I’m so excited to spend my life with my best friend and to celebrate with our closest friends and family. March 15, 2025, can’t come soon enough! I love you, Elrod!

I met Katy in September 2022. From our first date, I knew she was special. She had the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen, a strong set of values she wasn’t afraid to share, and a smile that made me want to do whatever I could to see it again. I vividly remember driving home with so much excitement and getting home to tell my now-groomsman, Daniel Duffy, how amazing she was. From that first date, we became inseparable. Whatever she was doing was what I wanted to do. Wherever she was, that’s where I wanted to be. She was funny, smart, hardworking, and confident in what she wanted out of life. It didn’t take long at all before I was completely head over heels for her. When she would leave, I would look forward to the next time I’d see her, and she was consistently on my mind. Together, we’ve gone through both happy and challenging times in our lives, and looking back, there’s nobody else I would want to share those moments with. Looking ahead, I see Katy as my best friend, the mother of our children, and the person I want to do life with. I love you so much, Katy.