"but the greatest of these is love" 1 Corinthians 13:13

One Saturday night at home, I got a call from my current coworker - "be ready in 5," she said. As I was recently single, I had no plans & wasn't much feeling like getting out of the house. With half wet hair & a bare face, I threw on some clothes & make up in the car on the way to the local college bar, the DB. The ~last~ thing I was after that night was a boys phone number - I was "forbidding" them at the time! We arrive & her friend noticed someone he knew - Mikey. They introduced us to each other & we began to talk the night away. Mikey seemed nice & friendly, & he had on this adorable pineapple shirt. It was rare that I met somebody that actually talked about himself & wasn't boring. Next thing we know, it's "last call" & the bar is shutting down. Well over an hour had passed just talking with one another. We're going to leave & we both forgot each other's names! Mikey asked me, poorly quoted, "How will I get in contact with you so I can take you to dinner?" I figured... what harm could it do? So I gave him my number, genuinely with no expectations. I waited anxiously the next day for his first text, "Hey." Little did I know I had met my future husband that night. I truly believe God found us in our weakness because He knew we could make each other stronger. Who would have ever thought that I would meet my future husband in a bar? God truly does turn all things for His goodness! I'll be forever blessed for being drug out to the bar that night. My whole future changed that night. <3

The night we first met I was definitely not looking to meet someone. I went to my friend Vivian’s house to hang out with friends. We ate & someone suggested the bar. I’m not a bar person so I was apprehensive at first but I said ‘why not have some fun’. At the bar, I looked out on the back porch area & seen a high school friend with his lady, & Rebecca. Soon as I see her something inside me said I had to talk to her. I went to talk to my high school friend & meet her. Little did I know I was about to introduce myself to my future wife. I wasn't prepared to meet anyone that night; I was wearing a pineapple Hawaiian shirt & shorts. I started a conversation with her & right away there was a spark. We talked & noticed my friend & his lady walked away. We talked about everything. Next thing we knew it was last call & I wondered where the time had gone. The whole time we are walking back to the front, I’m thinking of a slick way to ask for her number. I said to her these exact words, “So how am I supposed to get a hold of you this week to take you out to dinner?” I’m thinking in my head “please God let her give me her number; I’ve never met anyone like her before in my life.” Her response was the funniest thing I’ve ever heard & saved me from embarrassment. She said to me “I’m sorry this may sound bad but I forgot your name” to which I said “thank God because I forgot yours too & didn't know how to ask.” After exchanging phone numbers, I helped her find her coworker. After I made sure she made it to their vehicle safely, I tried to act cool as I normally do but deep down inside I was as giddy as a teenage girl going to prom. I walked away with the biggest grin on my face. I knew deep down that I just met the perfect girl & I couldn't wait to see her again.

Bride's POV: I was so anxious about mine & Mikey's first date. I had only been "on the market" for a month, & sticking my toes back in the water was so scary! Mikey was aware of this though, & from the second he asked for my number, he was so patient. I remember walking out of my apartment door, looking down the stairs to see him in a nice green button down & jeans & I thought "man, he is so handsome." We went to a local nicer pizza restaurant (shocker!) for dinner. The whole time my tummy was cramping because I was so nervous, & man it was so obvious (EMBARRASSING!). After our uncomfortably awkward dinner, we went back to my apartment where I proceeded to change clothes like three times to get comfortable (oh, the nerves...). We watched TV & talked for a couple hours until the end of the night when Mikey leaned in for a kiss & I dodged it.... Don't worry, 3 days later we had our second date & first kiss, & the rest is history... After that, we weren't afraid of anything together! LOL!<3 Groom's POV: Our first date I was very nervous, I was really interested in Rebecca & didn’t want to say or do anything stupid. I picked her up at her apartment in Troy to go out to Sips on the Square. When she came down the stairs to the parking lot, I thought she was drop dead beautiful. We got to Sips & the conversations started flowing like it did the night we met. I was thinking ‘man I don’t want this date to end.’ After we finished eating, she invited me to come over to her apartment & just hang out. We got back & hung out in her living room just talking about everything & the conversations kept flowing. We had light funny conversations to some deep ones - it was amazing. Next thing I know it was 2 AM & I still had an hour drive back home. The whole way home I was dreading waking up for work the next morning, but I knew it was worth it loosing those few hours of sleep to have one of the best dates I’ve ever had.

Bride's POV: Mikey & I moved in together June 2019. We discussed beforehand that an engagement & marriage was in the future for us. I knew an engagement was on the way, but then I found out he had gotten a ring... All I could do every weekend was question "is this THE weekend?!" One weekend, we were in Tuscaloosa celebrating my b'day with my friend Elise, who invited us to take pictures with her & her (now) fiance. I had an inkling that this might've been THE weekend, but during the photos I completely forgot. Elise & I were taking a picture together & Mikey grabbed my hand from behind & pulled. I looked behind & noticed he was on one knee - I initially thought he was being silly. He pulled me again & it clicked. He's holding the ring, & starts to tell me how he wants to spend the rest of his life with me. While stumbling on his words; it was so precious. No one has loved me like he does. I am so blessed to spend my life with him. God gave me him - really. <3 Groom's POV: I knew shortly into dating that Rebecca was the girl I was going to marry - the one God made for me. Long story short, I found the perfect ring & couldn’t contain my excitement… She found out. She was expecting a proposal, so I had to surprise her when she least expected it. We were in Tuscaloosa to celebrate her b’day early with friends. Elise & her fiancé were taking pictures together & asked us to join. This was part of the plan. I knew she was going to say yes but I was still nervous. We went to take pictures & Elise’s aunt, the photographer, set it up great. Rebecca was taking a few pictures with Elise & I came up behind her. I pulled the ring out my pocket & got down on one knee. She turned around & her first thought was that I was messing around. I had to tell her turn around again & it finally set in I was proposing. I was so nervous I stumbled over the speech I played over & over in my head. I asked her to marry me, of course she said yes, & I was the happiest guy in the whole world.