We're getting married!

It all began in fall of 2019 at Coastal Carolina University, back when we were both just trying to survive classes, figure out life, and enjoy college. A few casual hangouts turned into real conversations, and before we knew it, we were choosing to spend more and more time together. From the very beginning, Kobby had a way of surprising Rachel — little gestures, small gifts, and thoughtful moments he created just to make her smile. And it worked. We got close quickly, the kind of close where time slips by effortlessly and you suddenly realize the person sitting next to you has become your favorite part of every day. Soon, our friend groups blended together, filling Friday nights with laughter, music, and crowded parties at Rachel and her roommates’ townhouse. Those nights became the backdrop to a chapter we’ll never forget — a time when friendship and fun slowly revealed something deeper. By the end of the school year, we were almost inseparable. What started as simple hangouts and late-night conversations grew into a connection that felt steady, natural, and meant to last. Now, surrounded by the people who have been part of our story from the beginning, we can’t wait to start the next chapter as husband and wife.

Valentine’s Day 2025 turned out to be the kind of moment you remember for a lifetime - it was simple, unexpected, and perfectly us. It happened in the loft of our first home in South Carolina — the place where we had built routines, shared late-night laughs, and started imagining our future together. Rachel had just come back from walking her sister’s dog, and was coaxed into holding Cleo, her sister’s cat… who notoriously cannot stand Rachel. So there she was, sitting with a grumpy cat in her lap, when Kobby stepped out of the bedroom and quietly got down on one knee. Completely stunned, Rachel stared at him, cat still clinging to her lap, as Kobby gently said the very romantic words, “Get the cat off your lap.” But she was too shocked to even process what was happening — Kobby was proposing. He began giving the sweetest speech about their love — a speech Rachel barely remembers because her heart was racing, her brain was short-circuiting, and her entire world was spinning in the best way possible. Then he opened the ring box and asked the question: “Will you marry me?” Rachel said yes - without hesitation, without doubt, with every piece of her heart. That night, they kept their new secret close, celebrating quietly with an intimate dinner and a bottle of Pinot Noir — Rachel’s favorite — savoring the first hours of being engaged in the home where their forever truly began.