We're getting married!

"You had me at mountain weekend ;) " I moved to Charlotte in typical fashion - boxes, coffee, and swiping through Bumble like anyone trying to find their person in a new city. One night, I came across a profile that stood out - not just because of the long list of hobbies, but because his words felt thoughtful, intentional...familiar. There were so many things I could relate to, and I could tell right away he had a real sense of adventure about him. He just seemed fun -- someone I wanted to know. I smiled and messaged him, "You had me at mountain weekend". We chatted and then Kevin asked me where I wanted to go for our first date. I said I wanted to go dancing. So he took me to Coyote Joe's - a honkytonk in Charlotte - for two stepping and a Cole Swindell concert. I rode the mechanical bull (yes, there's video) and we were so caught up in eachother that at one point, we didn't even realize our drinks were cleared from in front of us. The next day I told my girl friends, "That was the best first date of my life". And I truly meant it. Our third date (ish)? He came home with me for Thanksgiving. Our fourth date (ish)? We hopped on a plane and went to Costa Rica together. It might sound crazy, but it all made perfect sense. From the very beginning, being with Kevin felt right. Safe. Natural. I knew pretty early on: he was it. Since then, we shared concert nights and mountain drives, quite coffee mornings, and evenings curled up watching the most wonderfully trashy TV. We've spend 2 1/2 years of love, laughter, growth and little moments that have become everything. And now, I get to marry him. I can't wait to spend forever with you, Kevin.

I was living in Charlotte enjoying time with friends, staying busy with hobbies, and building my life…but I was missing someone to share it with. Like most single people in their 30s, I was swiping dating apps, looking for a needle in a haystack. One day in October 2022 I opened Bumble to see a message from ‘Olivia’ that said ‘You had me at lake days and mountain weekends’ in response to one of the prompts in my profile. Her profile was full of vacation pictures and showed a fun loving adventurous girl. Right away, our conversation was easy and genuine — playful, but also real. She had a spark that drew me in, and I couldn’t wait to meet her. I wanted to show Olivia a really fun date night and proposed a little country dancing at Coyote Joe’s in Charlotte. What I didn’t realize was that Cole Swindell was playing that night — the show was sold out, and I found myself scrambling for resale tickets at the last minute. Somehow, it all worked out. From the second we met there was a playful and magnetic attraction between us. Our conversations were fun and meaningful right away. She knew what she wanted in life, and it matched so many of the things that mattered to me. Olivia had a radiance about her, and I felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity and pull toward her. I knew within just a few times of seeing Olivia that she was the one. Only a few weeks later, she invited me home for Thanksgiving. A couple months after that, we were boarding a plane to Costa Rica together. Some people might call it fast, but for us, it just felt right. Since then, our adventures have stretched far beyond Charlotte — from winding mountain roads in sketchy 4x4s, to running off cliffs with parachutes in paradise, to front-row seats at Wimbledon. But it’s also been about the everyday moments: quiet coffee mornings, evening walks, and laughing together at the world’s trashiest TV. In 2 ½ years, Olivia has filled my life with laughter, love, and more joy than I thought possible. I knew quickly she was the one, and now I get to marry not just the love of my life, but my best friend.