Ryan and Mary Ellen first 'met' at a Mercy Hill Christmas party in December 2022. I use 'met' in quotations because to say that they did anything more than attend the same party would probably be a stretch. But Mary Ellen caught Ryan's eye, even in her self-proclaimed ugly Christmas sweater. Ryan, who as many of you know, doesn't really make it out much to many social events that aren't sporting events or golf outings, was hoping he would be able to find someone at the party, but after a couple hours, it was reminiscent of a middle school dance... the guys hung out and played ping pong and Mario Kart with the guys, which probably wasn't terribly exciting to the ladies, who found something else to do. Ryan had even brought cornhole boards to try to break the ice a bit, but no takers. After a game of Fish Bowl and Red Flags (similar to Apples to Apples), both Ryan and Mary Ellen went their separate ways without so much as a glance to the other. However, Ryan was able to find Mary Ellen on social media after the party and one thing led to another, and they had their first date at Hops shortly thereafter where they bonded over their love for Morgan Wallen and Nate Bargatze (before he was a big deal, for the record), as well as their ambivalence toward Zach Bryan. Over the next year, they took turns driving between Greensboro and Burlington, with Mary Ellen trying to teach Ryan to become a better cook and Ryan (successfully) trying to convince Mary Ellen to look past his obsession with his 'fake sports teams.' Over the past year, they've enjoyed trips to Northern Virginia, New York City, Boone, Charlottesville, and more. We're so excited for the future adventures in store for us, but first, are excited to celebrate with our family and friends this Summer! -Ryan and Mary Ellen