We're Getting Married!

Oddly enough, we both had seen each other prior to meeting for the first time. We worked at the same company and passed each other in the hallways, however neither of us thought anything of it. The night we met we were both out with friends at different happy hours at a place called Red Star. We both happened to have mutual co-workers (aka - matchmakers) there that night, so we combined tables and chairs and everyone hung out together. When it was time to leave, Mike offered our two mutual friends a ride home and they immediately started planning to match the two of us together. They offered to give my phone number to him, but being the gentleman he is said they needed to ask me first. They did. The next day he sent me a text and our first date was scheduled for the upcoming Friday. The night before our first date, I had a pre-planned date I had committed to weeks earlier, which turned out to be terrible. In fact, I decided to text Mike immediately after I got home from this horrible date. We ended up talking into the wee hours of the night until his phone died. I think we learned each others life stories on that call. Our first date was the following day, July 17th 2015. He invited me to his house. I was nervous because that is the #1 "never do" rule when dating but...since my friends knew him I went with it. He surprised me with a healthy homemade meal. I thought that dinner was the date, however then he pulled out another surprise and we ended up at a Painting with a Twist. Our first picture is in the photo tab.

We got engaged in Negril, Jamaica. We had gone the year before and loved it so much we went back for a second time. Little did I know we would come home engaged. It was our first day there and after getting settled at the hotel we got cleaned up for dinner. After dinner Mike wanted to go for a walk on the beach; however it was so cold and windy that night, I needed to change into warmer clothes. The conditions were unlike what you would imagine Jamaica weather being. After changing into our hurricane weather attire, we went for our walk. We were walking down the beach and the next think I knew he is asking me "do you think you could see yourself with me for the next five years?" I responded with "Next five years?... wait are you dying or something? He laughed and clarified that since we've been together for five years at this point, could I see myself with him for another five years. Then he popped the question! I was so surprised and caught off guard I actually didn't respond right away. I first asked him if the kids knew. He actually had asked the kids and my parents before we left and everyone gave their blessing. He had to ask again because I still hadn't answered but finally said YES! The remainder of our trip was amazing and the weather turned around!

May 21st...the day we changed our wedding date. We were now two months into COVID and confined to home. We were in panic mode because our venue didn't know what the restrictions would be come August. We had already decreased our guest list and now might have to decrease it again or not have the wedding at all. We couldn't send invites out knowing the unknown and did not want to put our friends and family at risk...so we made the decision to postpone. Looking at it now we truly believe it was meant to be this way. August 22nd 2020; our original wedding date; was my first bridal dress appointment with my mom and sister. It was exciting and fun! And now our current wedding date is JULY 17th 2021, which just happens to be our six year anniversary of our first date! #FiveYearsPlusForever