I had known of Amanda for most of my life- I grew up just down the street from her grandparents- but we didn’t really meet until 2019. After we met, I slowly started noticing just how caring, genuine, and wonderful she truly was. We became close friends and naturally started spending more time together, sometimes just the two of us. Whether it was texting random, funny messages or meeting up for a drink as just friends, we always had the best time together. Amanda bartended at JP Kelly’s on Friday nights, and for whatever reason, I always seemed to be there. She thought it was for the beer—but the truth is, it was always for her. Everything changed during a weekend trip to Chicago in June of 2023, when we went to a concert with friends. That trip made me realize how much she meant to me, though I was scared of losing her as a friend. Fortunately, Amanda felt the same way and reminded me that what we had was stronger- and meant to be more- than just a friendship. Since then, we’ve continued being best friends, just with a few new titles added along the way: boyfriend and girlfriend, fiancé, and now soon-to-be husband and wife. I’ll forever cherish the years we spent as friends and love that, even today, being best friends is still the foundation of everything we are together. - Nick