The first day Ike arrived at Fort Bragg, NC in June of 2022, he asked for the nearest Catholic priest. Father Mike Metz’s office was in the neighboring building, and after a warm welcome and a confession, Fr. Mike offered to introduce Ike to his little sister, Mary Margaret, who was just five hours up the road serving as a Navy Nurse in Virginia Beach. Ike, ignorant and oblivious, politely declined, but Fr. Mike relentlessly pursued an introduction between the two… after 3 years, he managed to get both Ike and Marge to agree to a 9am coffee date on a sunny March morning across the street from, coincidentally, the Cathedral Basilica of Saint John the Baptist. Ike, who was early for the first time in his life, secured a table out front with a full view of the church and waited for his date. Ike was immediately captivated by Mary Margaret (the first thing she casually told him when they sat down for coffee was that she left her wallet, ID, and keys on the plane the afternoon before) and he couldn’t take her eyes off her. Their chemistry and temperaments complemented each other almost too perfectly, and what started as a 9 am coffee date quickly turned into a six hour walk through downtown Savannah, ducking into bookstores and perusing the farmer’s market. The two spent the entire weekend together, and Ike dropped her off at the airport full of excitement and anticipation. Mary Margaret made it very clear that she liked him, and they parted ways – Ike on a four month deployment to the Middle East, and Marge on a 500 mile pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in Europe. Their time apart was well spent, and the couple FaceTimed far more than either expected. Finally, on the 4th of July after a 2 week delay in his return, Ike landed back in the states and was on the road to visit Marge in Savannah less than 5 hours from touchdown on American soil, and the two picked up exactly where they left off. Their Savannah summer was in full swing. After only a night watching fireworks at Forsyth Park and a beautifully sunburned day on a Hilton Head beach, they were discussing their future home together, why HOAs are a scam, and how much fun they would’ve had racing each other in 5th grade had they met earlier. The young couple made the routine four-hour drive nearly every weekend between Savannah and Columbus, making up for lost time by shooting hoops at Daffin Park, enjoying adoration at St. James and the Cathedral, meal prepping, and facilitating plenty of “logistics dates” in quiet coffee shop corners. They fell pathetically in love. On Thanksgiving, Mark Metz asked Ike why he hadn’t proposed yet while sitting around the fire in Cumming, GA, and Ike quickly picked up the pace with blessings from Father Mike and Pat Metz. Shortly thereafter, on a sleepy night at St. James in Savannah, Ike asked Marge to spend the rest of their lives together, and she answered with an enthusiastic “yes”. Since then, their engagement has been nothing short of fast and furious, full of travel, love, and excitement for their next chapter. Now, just a few weeks out from our wedding, we’re incredibly grateful for each of you. It means a great deal to us that you’re making the time and effort to celebrate with us. We’re honored to share such a meaningful and joyful day with the people we love most!