Ryan and I met in 2020 through our mutual friend, Will, at a house party. Will is one of my friends from high school and him and Ryan had become friends while working together at their first job out of college. We spoke briefly, getting to know each other, and hit it off right away! We didn't exchange any information that night and just continued on with our lives with obviously no idea what the future had in store. One year later, I was at a bar in Buckhead with my girlfriends and Ryan spotted me. He called my name across a couple of tables and asked how I was doing. He bought me a couple drinks while we caught up about the last year and learned a little more about each other. But shortly after, my friends and I left to go home, and Ryan and I still hadn't traded phone numbers. A few weeks after this interaction at the bar, I was swiping through a dating app and saw a familiar face. I swiped right on Ryan's profile with a casual "Hahaha hey", which he followed up with a smooth "When are you going to let me take you out?". One week later we were at a brewery having beers on our first date. Ryan and I continued talking and going on dates through the holidays, and once 2022 came around, we were inseparable. We "officially" started dating in the beginning of March of that year, but the more we time we spent together, the quicker and harder we fell in love. Our friends and family could tell as well. Ryan quickly became my best friend and he showed me love that I prayed for. I am so thankful for the foundation we created and the life we are building together everyday. I couldn't ask for a better life partner.

After purchasing an engagement ring from Catie's family jeweler, the man who had supplied engagement rings to most of Catie's extended and immediate family, and having lunch with Lee and asking for his permission, I was finally ready to pop the question. Catie was flying out for her monthly trip to Tahoe, and I had it all planned out. She was flying in on a Wednesday, and that Saturday night I had made a reservation at the nicest restaurant in town on the edge of the Lake and hired my neighbor who freelances as a photographer in his spare time. The reservation was set for 6:30, and we were ready by 6. Catie suggested we should just go early and grab a drink at the bar, little did she know the photographer was not at the restaurant yet. Catie knew exactly where the restaurant was, and so it was definitely odd when on the foggy and rainy evening I took a left turn to drive up the mountain rather than a right turn towards the lake shore and the restaurant. Luckily, me stalling for twenty minutes driving up and down the mountain did not throw her off. When we finally arrived, I shot my neighbor/photographer a wink, he stood up from his table and casually made his way outside with his camera. Catie and I grabbed a drink from the bar and I said we should go outside to see the views. We walked out on the back patio of the restaurant and made our way down the stairs, right past my neighbor, onto the sand. Catie had met my neighbor a few times before, but thankfully did not recognize him. She thought he was just some tourist taking pictures of the lake and mountains. I was getting nervous at this point so instead of walking down towards the water, a twenty foot walk, I took two steps off of the stairs and put my arm around Catie. The last thing I remember before blacking out was telling her that I love her, and when I came to, she said "yes" with tears in her eyes.