We're getting married!

I had just moved to UCF and joined Kappa a few months before meeting Alexander. I was focused on settling into college life and making friends in my sorority, with guys nowhere on my radar. I’ll admit, though, I noticed Alexander at a few events and thought he was cute. But I was new, not looking for anything, so I admired him from a distance. One night, a spontaneous decision to go to a bonfire at FIJI changed everything. Suddenly, I had a drink in my hand, and there he was walking toward me. He introduced himself, and I said, “Hi, I’m Julia, and I’m in Kappa,” before getting pulled away by my friends. I didn’t think much of it, but little did I know, that brief encounter would lead to something more. A few days later, I heard whispers that Alexander had a crush on me. The next thing I knew, I was at a frat house, shoving a pie into his face, laughing and thinking that was the highlight of my week. Fast forward to semi-formal. I’d heard rumors he might be attending but wasn’t sure. As I entered an apartment for a pregame, I passed a car and saw him walking up behind me. Believe it or not, we didn’t speak the entire night. I spent the evening wondering when he’d come up to me. It wasn’t until 45 minutes before the event ended that he finally came over. The best things do come when you least expect them. We spent the next week texting on and off. He made sure I was coming to the next party, and I made sure he knew I was. At one point, as I walked past him at that party, he stopped me and asked if I’d like to go to lunch the following week. Of course, I said yes. He picked me up, opened my door, and paid for my meal like the true gentleman he always is. Thanksgiving break came, and we communicated strictly through text. The best text of all was when he asked me to attend his fraternity formal in Nashville. A couple of weeks later, Alexander drove us all the way to Alabama for winter break. On top of that, I was moving out of my dorm, so I asked him to help me pack everything into my car. I still can’t believe I asked someone I barely knew to help me with that, and I can’t believe he agreed to do it. We spent the 10 hour drive from Orlando to Smith Lake, Alabama, getting to know each other more, sharing music, listening to podcasts, and holding hands. That week was one of the most magical of my life, and it was definitely that “when you know, you know” feeling. The day before he asked me to be his girlfriend, I met his wonderful parents. I could feel something special was about to happen, but I didn’t know when. We drove through Christmas lights, and I could sense how nervous he was when he asked me. I giggled my way through saying yes, and that became the start of our relationship and our annual Christmas tradition. Fast forward two and a half years. It’s March 22. I had a feeling that the fancy dinner Alexander had planned might be something more, but I wasn’t sure. His demeanor was so calm and relaxed that day. We spent the whole day together, debriefing the cruise with my roommates, visiting my brother’s robotics competition there wasn’t even the slightest hint of anything special happening. When he picked me up for our dinner date, I couldn’t stop wondering if this was the night. We drove an hour and a half to a botanical garden, catching up. As we entered the gardens, I felt a shift in the air and just knew it was happening. We stopped by a koi pond, and I told him I wanted to stop and admire it. I walked ahead, unaware that he had knelt down behind me. When I turned around and saw him, I froze. It was as if I knew exactly what was happening, but my excitement left me frozen. He called my name, and everything after that until pictures and calling our friends and family is a blur. But I know it was the most magical moment of my life, and it led us to this exciting chapter: planning our dream wedding and the future we’re building together with the people we love. Thank you to everyone who’s played a part in our love story!

Once I knew who Julia was, I knew I had to find a way to talk to her at her sorority’s semi-formal event. I saw her just before the event and immediately noticed how beautiful she was. Nervously, I waited until the end of the night to talk to her, and when I did we chatted about hockey, tattoos, where she was from, and more. I remember spinning around on the heel of my boot because I didn’t know what to do with myself! We even got our first picture together, which is funny to look back on. About a week later, I invited her to a bonfire my fraternity was hosting. She came with her friends, but I was still too nervous to talk to her. At the end of the night, I stopped as I passed her and asked, “Do you want to get Mexican food on Tuesday?” She agreed, and I was so excited. We had a fantastic time, chatting and getting to know each other better. She’s fun and adventurous, and we told so many stories. Our second date was ice cream, and soon after, I invited her to join me on a fraternity trip to Nashville. She agreed to spend the weekend with me at a lake house in Alabama, and then we would drive to Nashville. Everything we did together was so exciting! We had a 10-hour car ride, listening to a country playlist I made, which included “Made for You” by Jake Owen. I told her it would be our song, and it still is today. I even had it engraved on her engagement ring. While in Alabama, I planned a day of kayaking, biking, dinner, and drive-through Christmas lights, where I planned to ask her to be my girlfriend. I wasn’t nervous; she had already agreed to this trip, so I knew she would say yes. In late January 2022, I took Julia to New Smyrna Beach for a sunrise date, and it was there that I told her I loved her. My love for her has only grown since that moment. In August 2023, Julia and I went ring shopping just to look, no plans to buy. But as I prayed and thought about it, I knew I wanted her to be my wife. In December, I went ring shopping on my own, and once I bought the ring, I knew I had to give it to her immediately. I drove to her mom’s house and asked for her hand in marriage, telling her how much Julia means to me and how we would build a great family together. For the proposal, I searched for the perfect spot and finally decided on a botanical garden in Jacksonville. I scoped out the location with Madeline the day before, planning the exact spot, timing, and how everything would go. On the day of the proposal, I felt a sense of calmness that everything was to plan. We were a little behind schedule, but I had made a playlist of our favorite songs, and we enjoyed the drive there. Once we arrived, we walked the path, stopping at various spots, and I kept the ring hidden in my boot. When we reached the spot, I got down on one knee and shared everything she meant to me and how much I loved her. She didn’t even let me finish before she said yes! It was the happiest moment of my life, and we called our families and friends to share the news. We celebrated with dinner and talked about how awesome everything felt. That day was the best of my life until May 2nd, 2026 comes.