Our story began long before we even understood what love was. In 2005, our families met and became close friends through church. From that moment on, our lives were intertwined. As babies, we were always around each other - in fact, our very first kiss happened at church when we were just two years old! When Logan was three, the military moved his family to Germany. After two years, they returned, and we picked up right where we left off - close friends, running around the church, and always together. At age eight, Logan's family moved to Germany again, but distance couldn't stop our bond. We stayed connected, sending each other letters and books to remind one another of our friendship. At age ten, Logan and his family returned to North Carolina, and our friendship blossomed once more. Crushes began to develop between the two, so much that Novalee stomped on Logan's foot once or twice after losing at foosball, lol. Later on, Novalee joined cotillion, and her mom specifically requested Logan to be her escort. We didn't get to see each other as much as we wanted since we lived in different towns, but every moment together was meaningful. Eventually, we became junior assistants and got to demonstrate dances together - and yes, we loved every second. As life unfolded, we grew apart for a season - about two years where we followed our own paths, talked to other people, and grew individually. But God had other plans. Our parents have always believed that we were destined to be together - a match ordained by God, chosen not only for love but for a greater purpose: to serve Him through a powerful ministry. On September 26, 2024, Logan messaged Novalee out of the blue. By September 29, we were on our first official date at Arby's. Afterward, we sat in the truck, poured our hearts out, and went shopping - a simple day that felt like the start of forever. On November 6, 2024, Logan asked Novalee to be his girlfriend, and she said, "I look like a hot mess...but of course!" From there, everything fell into place. After much prayer, we knew this was God's will - we were meant to be, so Logan gave Novalee a promise ring and made a promise forever. Knowing our hearts and future were aligned, we decided to get married young. And now, we're excited to begin this new chapter as husband and wife on our perfect day! The Proposal August 17, 2025 started out early with a time of worship at church, followed by a mad dash home to get ready for what I believed were “family pictures” later that day. We all color-coordinated in different shades of blue and made the drive to Raleigh to the JC Raulston Arboretum—a new photo location and a new photographer for us. As we wandered through the beautiful garden, searching for this mysterious photographer, my mom suggested I go straight ahead while the rest of the family checked another direction. Unbeknownst to me, they were actually getting into place… and hiding. I walked up a path into a stunning rose garden where a sign read “Marry Me”—but with no suiter in sight. I smiled and thought, “Aww, how sweet, someone’s getting proposed to.” What I didn’t realize was that it was me. At that very moment, I turned and saw both our friend (and photographer) and Logan. It suddenly hit me: the sign was meant for me. With great excitement and a huge smile, I walked down the stone path through the rose garden toward the man of my dreams. Logan got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. And of course, I said “YES!”