We met when we were 4 years old at daycare. We lived in the same small town and went to the same schools growing up. We knew of each other and had classes with each other throughout our academic careers. It wasn’t until junior year of high school did we become friends.

We were in the same history class our junior year of high school. We had lunch at the same time on some days and sat with the same group. We started to become better friends during this year. Matthew did a promposal using a volleyball to ask me to our junior year prom. We hung out the whole month before prom and started to get a crush on each other. Matthew asked me to be his girlfriend right before we turned into the parking lot of the hotel our prom was in.

We had been talking about going to the Biltmore since I started grad school in 2021. Matthew had been once when he was super young, and I had never been. One thing about me is that I absolutely love Christmas, so Matthew and I decided to take a day trip to visit the Biltmore House around Christmas time. We left out around 6 am to get there when the house opened. We had plans to go to see the art exhibit and the house a few hours afterwards. It was 18 degrees outside and we were a bit chilly to say the least. Matthew insisted we go to the house and walk the grounds beforehand. We get to the house and go to take a picture up on the hill across from the house. Matthew wanted a better view of the house in our picture so he suggested we walk up the hill a bit and see if the people up there could take our picture. The people up farther on the hill looked to me to be employees of the Biltmore or a lady who hired a man to take her pictures at the Biltmore. Little did I know those people were the photographer Matthew had hired and his wife. I didn’t want to bother the people taking pictures up the hill, so I said no it’s ok we can stay down here. Matthew insisted and started walking up the hill. I soon followed him, and the people began to walk towards us. They asked us if we wanted our picture taken, and we said yes. The man took them with his camera and the lady took them with my phone. After we took pictures together, the man asked us if we wanted solo pictures with the house. My initial thought was no it is freezing, but before I could say anything Matthew answered yes. I went first and they had me put my hand out to hold the house. They had me turn a little bit to my left for some pictures, then they had me turn all the way to my left. I saw Matthew down on one knee and he asked me to marry him!! I was so surprised, overjoyed, and completely amazed that I was crying so hard all I could do was nod my head yes!! The rest of our day was a dream with the sweetest pictures taken all over the Biltmore Estate, a tour of the Biltmore House fully decorated for Christmas, and the best dinner with the whole entire debrief of the proposal plan.