Like a true Charlotte love story, our chance encounter revolved around beer and dogs. We met in October 2020 at a local brewery, brought together by Kate’s family dog and Neil’s friend’s new puppy. What started as a casual conversation turned into something more when Kate mentioned she’d never been on a good date from a dating app. Without missing a beat, Neil smiled and said, “Well, you’ve never been on a date with me.” That following Monday, we went on our first date—and it turned out to be our last first date!

Four and a half years after our brewery meet-cute, Neil planned the perfect proposal in one of their favorite cities-Charleston. In the heart of historic downtown, tucked within the charming Philadelphia Alley, Neil got down on one knee and asked Kate to marry him. Charleston became even more special, forever tied to the beginning of our next chapter. We’ll always be dreaming of forever in Charleston.