Okay. New Plan. We've decided to postpone our wedding celebration to make sure we keep all our loved ones safe! Save The New Date: June 5th, 2020

Who doesn't love the fall? The leaves change their colors, the weather cools off, football is on, and of course--fall festivals. 7 years ago, I was a sixteen year old kid who walked into a fall festival at my church with one thing on my mind--to get out of there as quickly as I could. If you live in a small town, you know everyone, everyone knows you, and even if you don't know someone, you'll probably try and find a relative who you know from their family (come on, you know it's true). So, when I walked into my church's fall festival, I greeted all the elderly, helped the kids get some candy and win some prizes, as well as stealing a few Reese's from their bags. That's when it happened. That's when I turned to see a new, beautiful, stunning, gorgeous girl who was painting faces. So what's a sixteen year old boy to do when he sees this? Get his face painted of course. So, I walked over to this girl with a few friends, mentioning to one of them that I would definitely end up dating this girl. I got to her and turned my "mack" on and flirted, swooned, and tried to court this girl into giving me her number. Needless to say, it didn't work. She wasn't having any of it--even my subtweet "Man, that girl is beautiful" ( I really hoped that one would get her). After trying so hard, I eventually gave up. She wasn't in to me and that was that.

Fast forward 7 years into 2017 and there I was, home one weekend from NC State. I went to church as I always do and in walks this girl again. We'd been going to the same church for this whole time, but given our prior experience, we weren't the best of friends. Either way, she walked into church that day and man, she was looking good--God bless her! So, I happened to ask around and try my luck again as I had been off the dating scene for a while and see if she was single too. Luckily, she was and just a week later I texted her out of the blue, hoping that she might give me a chance. I asked her--to none other than a fall festival (what better, right?). Miraculously, she said yes. While taking me by surprise, I knew this time would be different (call it a gut feeling). So, two weeks later, we went to the Autumn Leaves Festival where we ate cotton candy, candy apples, and other delicious fried foods. She looked great too--dark brown hair that flowed like those long wheat fields out west. I had a great time and hoped she did the same. Two weeks later, we had continued to talk and wouldn't you know it, she was in Raleigh for the State fair. Almost three years later and here we are, about to get married. Needless to say, the first time wasn't the right time, but I'm okay with that. It took me 7 years, but I would gladly wait longer if it meant I would get her. In a month and closing, I get to marry the woman of my dreams who is the most Godly, loving, beautiful, funny, smart, and caring person I know. I cannot wait to grow old with her and continue this crazy, funny, perfectly imperfect story of us. Josiah