In the summer of 2016, I met my future dorm roommate, Megan, during freshman orientation at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). Our shared Music Business major and love of iced coffee and sushi made our pairing a no-brainer, and we happily called Room #517 of Corlew Hall home for a year. On the first day of the 2017 spring semester, Megan happened to sit next to Tucker in a public speaking class. They struck up a friendship outside of class and spent free afternoons pumping iron at the campus rec center. Shortly before class began on a chilly Monday morning in February, Megan mentioned her cute roommate and showed Tucker a photo of a charming girl donning a wide-brimmed black hat. (I like to imagine Tucker looked like Bugs Bunny with hearts in his eyes in that moment.) He politely asked her for my number and proceeded to send a suave, well-crafted text and selfie to yours truly. After a few days of seemingly endless Q&A, he finally asked the question that would get this show on the road: "Would you like to have dinner at The Alley with me on Friday?" The rest, as they say, is history.

Just a few short days after my early graduation, we decided to take an impromptu trip to the Lovelace family condo in Destin, Florida for some much-needed R&R. (Hey, graduating in 3 years with summa cum laude honors is no picnic!) On an evening walk beside the ocean, Tucker casually asked if we could sit down and watch the sunset. As we cozied up against one another and gazed at the rich violet hues soaking up the sky, I let a blissful, "I love you" escape my lips. For the first time in 2.5 years, I heard him echo, "I love you, too." (When we first started dating, Tucker vowed to refrain from saying those three little words until he was prepared to make me his wife. To my heart's delight, he kept his promise.) Surprised to hear that reply, I turned to look at him and saw him on one knee with a gorgeous amethyst ring in hand. Little did I know that just hours later, that very ring (which happened to be two sizes too small) would be sawed off my finger at the Sacred Heart Emerald Coast ER. Truly an unforgettable proposal, don't you think?