About three years ago, our story began. We were friends—close friends who met at church and genuinely cherished each other's company. For about two years, we'd meet up for coffee, celebrating each other's victories, and walking alongside one another through life's challenges. Those conversations were easy and natural, filled with encouragement and laughter. Cole's heart had quietly belonged to Sarah-Lee from early on, though she needed more time to see what was right in front of her... ;)

Everything shifted during one of Cole's long trips to visit family. Feeling the weight of his feelings, he prayed earnestly, asking God for a chance with Sarah-Lee. Almost immediately, his phone began ringing—it was her, calling him throughout his trip. When Cole finally returned home, something had changed. There was a new electricity in the air whenever they were together, an unspoken awareness that made Cole's heart hope that maybe, just maybe, she was beginning to feel the same way.

Then came Valentine's Day. While all of Sarah-Lee's friends gave her flowers and gifts, Cole didn't give her anything—not because he didn't care, but because he cared too much. His feelings for her ran deep, and he couldn't bring himself to make such a meaningful gesture without knowing for certain she felt the same way. He was protecting his heart, afraid to venture into that vulnerable space. She felt the sting of disappointment but kept it to herself, wondering what it meant.

Two days later, they met up for ramen with their friend Gabby, and the atmosphere between them was undeniably different—charged with an energy that even Gabby could sense. They were flirting, dancing around feelings that had grown too strong to ignore. On the car ride home, the tension finally broke. Sarah-Lee, unable to hold back any longer, asked, "What is happening between us?" Cole's heart raced as he finally let the words tumble out: "I like you, Sarah-Lee!!!!" She sat in stunned silence, her mind racing to catch up with her heart. Minutes passed—minutes that felt like hours to Cole—before she finally processed what this meant. Then, with a smile breaking across her face, she said she liked him too. That was the moment everything began.

After Cole worked up the nerve to ask her dad for his blessing — and made his intentions very clear — it was time for the first date. Cole planned the whole thing: a sailboat out on the Charleston Harbor, and our favorite sushi packed for the two of us. Out on the water, something just clicked. We laughed, we cried, and we shared our hearts in a way that felt completely natural. There was something about being out on the harbor, the breeze coming off the water, that made it easy to just be ourselves. As the boat ride was winding down, Cole asked her to be his girlfriend. She said yes.

Over the next ten months, our love grew deeper and richer with every passing day. We discovered new layers of each other — laughing through the easy moments and leaning on each other through the hard ones — slowly building something rooted in faith, friendship, and commitment. By the time our tenth month together arrived, Cole knew with complete certainty that she was the one he wanted to do life with. He had one thing to do before he could make it official though — it was time to call her dad.

Cole reached out to Pastor Craig and asked if he'd be willing to grab coffee in Mount Pleasant. Simple enough — but the moment he hung up the phone, the nerves set in. By the time he sat down across from him, his hands were trembling. They sat down together over coffee, and from the moment they settled in, Pastor Craig's warmth and kindness put Cole at ease. Cole took a breath and began sharing openly — how much he loved Sarah-Lee, how she had changed his life, and how certain he was that she was the woman he wanted to marry. He asked Pastor Craig for his blessing and for her hand in marriage. The conversation that followed was one Cole will carry with him for the rest of his life. Pastor Craig spoke honestly and lovingly about the weight and beauty of marriage — what it means, what it costs, and what it gives. It wasn't just a formality. It was a gift. And then he said yes and gave his blessing. The two of them walked out of that coffee shop with full hearts — and immediately got to work with the family planning the proposal.

The moment would unfold during a family trip to Vermont, orchestrated with love and a touch of God's humor. Cole secretly hired a photographer and booked a sleigh ride for the entire family. Sarah-Lee, thinking her mom had arranged the sleigh ride, decided to book a photographer for family photos. In what could only be God's hand at work, she reached out to the exact same photographer Cole had already hired—completely unaware of his plan. While Cole coordinated proposal details with the photographer, Sarah-Lee excitedly planned shot lists and exchanged emails about what she believed were simple family photos. The photographer played along perfectly, keeping Cole's secret safe.

The day arrived with Vermont draped in fresh snow, the world transformed into a winter wonderland. During the sleigh ride, they stopped at a picturesque gazebo for photos. The photographer called for couples first, starting with Sarah-Lee and Cole. As they stood together in that magical setting—snow falling gently around them, their families watching with held breath—Cole dropped to one knee. In that moment, on that beautiful white snowy day, with all the people they loved most surrounding them, Cole asked Sarah-Lee to be his wife. Through tears of joy, she said yes.

Every good story has a moment where you realize — this is just the beginning. For us, that moment is now. What started with a nervous phone call, a sailboat, and a lot of answered prayers has led us right here, to the doorstep of forever. We've loved every chapter of this journey, but the one we're most excited about hasn't been written yet. It starts the moment we say I do. And we can't wait for you to be there when it does.