We met in January 2023 while doing our favorite thing: line dancing (surprised?). On May 1, 2023, we went from dance partners to life partners. Over the next year, we spent as much time as we could dancing together and simply enjoying life side by side. In June 2024, we traveled to Myrtle Beach for Carolina Country Music Festival. I (Ashley) had planned a sunrise photo session on the beach using my mom’s camera. Little did I know, Michael had taken my plans and turned them into his own. Of course, Mother Nature had plans too. We woke up that morning to pouring rain, and I suggested we just try again another day completely unaware that this wasn’t just my photo idea anymore. With a little encouragement from Michael, we got up and started getting ready anyway, hoping the weather would clear by the time we made it to the beach. A few hours and one nap later, around 9 a.m., the rain finally stopped. We had taken exactly one photo when Michael suddenly walked over to a “random man with a camera” and asked if he would take our pictures instead. The man came over and had me turn to face the ocean. When I turned back around, there was Michael, down on one knee. Now, I’ll admit I had a little feeling this might happen, so the first words out of my mouth, while jumping up and down, were, “Oh my God, you’re doing it!” Even though the proposal didn’t happen exactly the way Michael had planned, it turned out to be absolutely perfect.