It was September 2008 at a random house party in Radford, Virginia. If a time traveler from the future popped in to tell us that we were meeting the love of our lives, we would have laughed with abandon while throwing back a cup of foamy beer. We harmlessly flirted, exchanged numbers, and then went our separate ways – for four years! Fast forward many adventures later, we reconnected in July 2012 at our mutual friend’s (Courtney) birthday party at PJ Skidoos. After all that time, we had a lot to catch up on! We spent the rest of 2012 going on dates, getting to know one another, and falling in love. After five months of dating, we attended a New Year’s Eve party with friends. “10… 9… 8…” Darren leaned in, “I don’t just want to kiss a girl I’m dating at midnight. I want to kiss my girlfriend.” It was the first time we put a label on our relationship, and the last time Darren said something cheesy. This year, when the clock strikes midnight, it will be our eighth dating anniversary and our first New Year’s kiss as husband and wife! In many ways, our love story is just like our relationship: patient, complementary, ever-evolving, and filled to the brim with reasons to celebrate.

We're over 2020. Let's celebrate love & togetherness, and kiss it goodbye!