We Can't Wait to Celebrate with You

It’s Monday, April 3, 2023. Michelle contemplates canceling a first date she set up with a cute boy from Hinge, but ultimately decides against it. She’s convinced she doesn’t have the time to date, but she really likes talking to this boy so she leans into that. The scariest things usually turn out to be the best ones, right? She arrives at a bar on Sunset Boulevard for trivia. She sees the boy, already there waiting for her. Bryce introduces himself. The butterflies set in. Oh god. He’s a hottie. Her palms start to sweat. There’s a group of friends from New Jersey chatting them both up, clearly already a few drinks in. Michelle excuses herself to the restroom. The New Jersey rascals try to get Bryce to leave with them for a more adventurous night. He politely declines; there’s a girl he has to see about. As the evening unfolds, Michelle gets both calmer and more nervous. Bryce is kind, charming, and just nice to be around. He puts her at ease. She’s never enjoyed a first date so much though, this is cautious new territory. They place third in trivia - scoring them a ten dollar gift card and a reason to come back together. They say goodnight and Michelle goes home with a soft smile on her face. She tries not to let herself get too excited. But man, Bryce is pretty cool. They go hiking in the mountains for their second date. Bryce drives Michelle home, and when he drops her off he leans in for a kiss. Michelle panics, and jumps out of the car (yes, literally). He’s convinced she doesn’t like him. She’s convinced dating isn’t for her. Neither of them were correct. They go on a third date, and a fourth, and a fifth. Bryce asks Michelle if she wants to go camping. She’s never been but is thrilled by the idea. They spend the weekend in Joshua Tree, hiking, sitting by the fire, getting to know each other more. Bryce asks Michelle to be his girlfriend on a beautiful viewpoint in the park. It’s sweet and feels like the start of something really special to them both. The rest, as they say, is history. They go on countless more camping trips together, exploring the west coast, filling their days with as much adventure as they possibly can between work and “the real world.” Long drives, big mountains, slowly but entirely all at once falling for each other. They move in together, and build a life in Burbank for the next two years. In December of 2024, Bryce quietly plans their biggest adventure yet. While they’re home for the holidays, Bryce asks for Kathy and Ken Potter’s blessing. They joyfully agree, and can’t wait to welcome him into the family, even though he’s an Eagles fan. Bryce picks up a beautiful ring he designed himself, with his grandmother's diamond in the center, and patiently waits for the summer. May 25, 2025. As the sun peaks out over the mountains on a sunrise hike in Banff, Canada, Bryce proposes on a beautiful lake pier, with the Potters cheering in the background. Michelle is in awe. It’s filled with magic and romance and everything you could ever hope a proposal to be. Bryce crushed it. That summer, Bryce and Michelle agonize over their next move. Do they stay in LA, where the gas is $7 a gallon, or do they move back home to PA where they can see their families more and save for their future together? On paper it’s an easy decision, but nonetheless, it’s scary saying goodbye to the life they built together in Los Angeles. By the fall, Bryce & Michelle find a cozy apartment in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to start the next chapter. Through every season, they find new ways to make it meaningful and adventurous. It’s shaping up to be a pretty beautiful life. Which brings us here, today, whichever day that may be before our wedding you’re reading. We feel so lucky that somehow, the universe brought us together, and now we get to spend every day next to our best friend. We cannot wait to celebrate that magic with you all, and spend a lifetime holding onto a love so profoundly special. 🤍