Some would say it was fate... others may say it was Tin Roof? Ryan and Ellie are lucky enough to share several mutual friends, which made their first meeting inevitable. They met for the first time at a country concert in Louisville, KY. Ellie was intrigued and asked her friends who the handsome guy in cowboy boots was. Unfortunately, Ryan does not remember their brief encounter that day as he was more focused on beer and music than the girl in the jean dress. It took a second meeting at a friend's house for Ryan to realize the same spark.... and as they say, the rest was history.

In March of 2021, Ellie was matched in Tampa, FL to continue her medical training. Ryan and Ellie quickly began to book trips down to Tampa for Ryan to interview for jobs and to look for a home to purchase together. Luckily, the home purchase went smoothly, and they were left with a 4 day trip to their new home with no obligations! The day began with Ellie's favorite thing - brunch! They continued to have a carefree day driving around what they soon would call their home. Then, Ryan had made dinner reservations, which was unusual given Ellie's Type A personality. Ryan was able to surprise Ellie with the dinner location, and they ended up walking along the St. Petersburg Pier hand in hand. At the end of the pier, Ryan was surprised to find a large crowd gathered looking at the water. That didn't stop him. He walked them right into the middle of the crowd and got down on one knee - as the crowd slowly parted to the beautiful view! A photographer captured the unforgettable day for Ellie and Ryan to cherish forever!