We're Getting Married!

When I first moved here, a mutual friend invited me to the Orange Beach Fire Station and introduced me to this guy named Austin—someone he worked with and thought I’d get along with. A few days later, I (accidentally) received an email at work meant for another Taylor (not TBuf), asking if my boyfriend and I could participate in a photo shoot. The only problem? I didn’t have a boyfriend… BUT I had just met Austin. Naturally, I texted our mutual friend—aka Cupid (you know who you are)—and asked, “Is the single firefighter off Monday? If so, I may need to borrow him. There will be free food involved.” That’s all it took. Hooked him with the free food! He agreed, and our very first "fake date" was at Gelato Joe’s. I still love to remind him that technically, I asked him out first. What started as something casual quickly turned into something meaningful. We kept seeing each other, went on a real first date, and not long after, Austin asked me to be his girlfriend during a night on the beach—running around like kids, catching sand crabs. Fast forward seven years—almost to the day—and he brought me back to Gelato Joe’s, then to that same spot on the beach. After a little more crab chasing, he “caught” one last crab… except this time, he came up holding a ring. And that’s when he asked if I wanted to be his wife. Spoiler alert: I said yes. Sometimes, the most unexpected moments turn into the most unforgettable stories. And sometimes, a “fake date” turns out to be the start of forever. Fake Date ~ August 7, 2017 First Real Date ~ August 31, 2017 
 I Said Yes to Being His Girlfriend ~ September 18, 2017 
 I Said Yes to Being His Wife ~ September 21, 2024 The Day We Become Mr. & Mrs. ~ October 18, 2025