On December 7, 2022, Kelsey and Alex matched on Hinge — and the rest, as they say, is history. Neither Kelsey nor Alex expected much when they joined Hinge — they had both gotten on the app just for fun. As Kelsey scrolled through, she came across a handsome guy named Alex. For those unfamiliar, Hinge profiles are a compilation of photos and prompts designed to show your personality. Kelsey responded to one of Alex’s prompts, and soon enough, they matched. They exchanged a few quick messages, and before long, Kelsey gave Alex her number, letting him know that if he wanted to get to know her, he’d have to text her. Spoiler alert: he did. From there, things took off. They instantly connected — sharing the same sense of humor and falling head over heels quicker than either expected. Their first date wouldn’t happen for another month, but until then, they texted non-stop — laughing, sharing stories, and both secretly telling their friends, “Something feels different about this one.” When they finally met in person, it only confirmed what their hearts already knew. Their first date was sweet and simple: wandering around Greatest Hits Bookstore in Tupelo, flipping through records and cute vintage pieces. Dinner followed, and afterward, they sat in the car at Fairpark, listening to music and talking about life. Before that first date, Kelsey had prayed a simple prayer: “God, if he’s the one, show me a blue butterfly.” The first song Alex showed her that night? “Butterfly 3000” by his favorite band, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Curious, Kelsey asked to see the album artwork up close, because from the preview she could tell that it was a pretty, intricate design. As she zoomed in, she became overwhelmed with a feeling of peace… because the cover was COVERED in blue butterflies. If that’s not a sign, what is? From that night on, their love only grew. They spent their weekends driving between Tupelo and Cordova, meeting each other’s family and friends, falling deeper and deeper into this sweet, unexpected love story. And not to be too cliché here, but it’s true what they say – when you know, you know. From the very beginning, there wasn’t a doubt in either of their hearts. They each knew they’d found the person they’d marry. They knew they’d found home in each other. Looking back, it’s almost impossible not to believe it was written in the stars all along. There were so many moments when their worlds quietly brushed against each other — standing in the same crowded section at a concert, unknowingly sharing time around the pool at Kelsey’s college apartment, Alex wandering through Tupelo’s streets while Kelsey called it home. It’s as if they spent years orbiting one another, pulled by a quiet gravity neither of them could yet understand, destined to remain just out of reach until the moment was right. And when it was, everything fell effortlessly into place — like stars aligning after a lifetime of circling. What was once coincidence now feels like fate. Now, they share a beautiful, laughter-filled life with their two cats, Roxie and Frank. They’re best friends, partners, and soulmates — and they cannot wait to celebrate their love and this next chapter with each of you.
Let me tell you…. I was SHOCKED.. It was the first weekend of December, and two of my best friends, Kelly and Mykayla, were staying with us for a weekend. That Friday night, Kelly gave us sweet little gifts — including my favorite nail polish from college. She kept trying to convince me to paint my nails, even offering to do it for me. Me, being stubborn, kept brushing her off saying “I’ll do it tomorrow.” Little did I know, she, Mykayla, and Alex were secretly texting behind the scenes: “She won’t paint her nails!!” The next morning, we went to brunch, did some shopping at Target, and then Kelly suggested we go on a walk, to which I excitedly suggested Shelby Farms where Alex and I love to go - they quickly agreed. As we pulled into the park, I spotted a truck that looked exactly like Alex’s. “Oh my gosh! That’s Alex’s truck!” I said. Kelly and Mykayla tried to play it off. I called Alex, laughing: “We’re here walking and you’re fishing?! How funny!” He told us to come say hi before our walk. Meanwhile, Kelly and Mykayla were frantically texting him: “WARNING. SHE’S ABOUT TO CALL YOU. SHE SEES YOUR TRUCK!” As we walked looking for him, I spotted someone who looked like Alex, but he wasn’t wearing a hat — which was strange because he always wears a hat. I called out anyway, and he waved back. I didn’t realize Kelly and Mykayla had hung back. I got to him and said, “Hi baby! Did you catch anything?” He smiled and said, “No, but I got you something,” and pulled a dictionary from his fishing bag. I thought, How sweet! A gift for my collection! But then he opened it to a specific page. There it was: the word love highlighted, with a cut-out space holding a ring. He read the definition aloud, said the sweetest words, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him. I was absolutely shocked — no one gave even the slightest hint this was coming! I laughed, cried, and of course said YES!!!! Afterward, I asked, “Do our parents know?!” and he smiled: “Yes… they’re waiting at the house.” We drove back together, and there in the backyard were all of our family waiting to celebrate with hugs, cheers, and happy tears. As I walked inside, I saw even more of our closest friends gathered to surprise me. Alex had planned every detail so perfectly. Later, we realized something even sweeter: Alex proposed on December 7, exactly two years to the day after we matched on Hinge — a completely unplanned detail we didn’t realize until after. What was planned? He wore the exact same shirt he’d worn on our first date. There really were so many signs that are so obvious looking back, but in the moment I had NO CLUE. It was truly the most magical, joy-filled day surrounded by so much love. I’ll never get over it.