We were set up. I have been friends with Charlene DeMers since college and Ryan has been friends with Jordan DeMers since high school. The two of them thought we would get along and organized a double date for for the four of us to get together. The evening started off with sushi and sake and by the next stop of our evening for live music and cocktails, we had hit it off. We have been a couple ever since and the rest is history!

Knowing the Tampa Museum of Art was the location where I wanted us to “one day” get married, Ryan lured me to make a stop there on our way to a St. Patrick’s party at the Chen’s house. While showing Ryan around the museum and all the ideas in my mind, we headed out to a balcony that overlooks the Hillsborough river (right as it was being prepped to be dyed green for the St. Patrick’s weekend festivities). At that point Ryan stunned me by getting down on one knee and asking me to marry him. After the surprise photographer was revealed and we enjoyed champagne and charcuterie at the museum, we walked around downtown and partook in some of the St. Patrick’s celebrations as an engaged couple. From there we went to Lisa and Mike Chen’s house for their St. Patrick’s party. I was thrilled to share my big news with some of my friends in person. Little did I know Ryan had coordinated another surprise, an engagement celebration with some of our family and all of my friends, from near and far. Walking into the Chen’s house and realizing it was not a St. Patrick’s party but a celebration of our engagement was a wonderfully overwhelming moment. Saturday March 16th 2019 was a life changing day full of love and celebration, it was a day we will never forget.