It was December 9, 2022—a night we'll never forget. They met at the Girls For Technology Gala, where Symphonie was the emcee. Corey had been to plenty of galas before, but this night changed everything. From the moment he saw Symphonie, he was captivated. She seemed to light up the room, and he spent most of the evening figuring out how to introduce himself. There was no shortage of people vying for her attention, so he had to move fast. Thanks to Google, a quick search revealed that Symphonie had familial connections in Arkansas, Corey's birth state. That was his "in." He walked over, introduced himself, and shared that his grandmother used to watch Symphonie—which to this day has not been confirmed—on the news back in Arkansas. That simple mention made her smile, and the connection was instant. Social media profiles were shared, and Corey left the gala feeling like everything had fallen into place. But Symphonie wasn't looking for anything serious—at least not yet. She told a friend earlier that evening that she was ready to start dating with intention, though she didn't realize that intention would find her that night. Persistent yet thoughtful, Corey reached out and asked her to lunch or dinner—no pressure, just a casual invitation. Symphonie took her time responding, but something unexpected happened when she finally said yes. They met at Trumbull Kitchen in Hartford for lunch, and despite ordering meals, neither touched their food. The conversation was all that mattered. A few weeks later, they met again for a date in NYC, and from then on, they were inseparable. We both agree on one thing: we're marrying our best friend. Relationships aren't easy; they take selfless work and unlimited patience. But we come into this union with mutual respect and a desire to grow. Forever is a long time, but we're both ready to spend it together. Above all, we're grateful to our Creator for bringing us into each other's lives and for the kind of love that feels like it was truly meant to be. "What is written cannot be erased." — Greek Proverb —