Laura and Alan met in October of 2022 in the way that most modern couples do – on a dating app called Bumble. Laura had been on quite a few bad dates and Alan was getting tired of the apps. Luckily, Laura always asks for input and tasked her Maid of Honor’s husband, James, with going through her current matches to pick his favorite. James very definitively told Laura to message Alan, Alan responded to Laura’s awkward intro message, and the rest, they say, is history. The couple chatted on the app for a bit before setting a day to meet up at a local dive bar with darts and good pizza called Kennally’s Irish Pub. Alan showed up in work clothes and Laura showed up in athleisure (gotta make sure they’re worth it before putting in the effort imo), and they played darts, had a couple beers, and talked the night away. Alan had so much fun that he even asked Laura on their second date for later that week before they parted ways in the parking lot! After only a couple of dates, it was already time to start meeting the friends and talk about meeting family. Laura became a weekly cheerleader at Alan’s coed volleyball games, Alan started coming around to happy hour and game nights, and they took up playing coed kickball together. I think if you ask Alan, Laura, or any of their close friends – these two were already destined to be a long term kinda thing very early on. Through random trips, a billion weddings, Houston sports, holidays, birthdays, finding new local spots, and endless nights at Wakefield Crowbar, Laura and Alan fell in loveeeeeeee. Laura even recalls telling a friend soon after they started dating that this might end up being the one she would marry – and look where we are now! The past couple of years have been a rollercoaster with dog accidents, a world series win, grieving loved ones, new jobs, exciting new adventures, two different countries, buying a house, adopting a new dog, and getting engaged. Through all of this, their relationship grew stronger, and things got pretty serious if you ask me 😉 Laura and Alan have been talking about getting married for quite some time, but he still managed to make the proposal a very special surprise. SOMEHOW, no one let on too strong that Mexico was when it would be happening, so she was still shocked when he got down on one knee. Laura was so excited it was happening, and with a sparkly new stone on her mom’s original engagement band, that it was difficult to get pictures of her smiling between the ugly cries. Laura and Alan are so grateful to each and every one of you for being such a special part of their lives. If you are reading this, it means so much to have you here! Let’s do this dang thing!