It was May the 4th, and I was expecting a casual night out with a friend—definitely not expecting to meet my person. So, naturally, I threw on a Star Wars tank as part of my outfit and went about my night. But when my friend Hunter arrived, there was a stranger standing next to him. That stranger was Zach. I was so nervous, especially when I bent down to put on my shoes and Zach instinctively reached out a hand to help me up. The problem? I only had one shoe on. So, naturally, I just kept holding his hand until I got the second one on. From the very start, our banter was electric. So much so that, just 30 minutes after meeting, someone at a party asked how long we had been together. That should’ve been my first clue that this was something different. Instead, I panicked and literally ran away from him at the bar later that night. (Spoiler: that didn't work.) The next morning, in classic rom-com fashion, I realized I had left my phone in an Uber. Still, I flung open my laptop, added Zach on Facebook, and messaged him apologizing for being an idiot. Luckily, he responded and told me to write his name and phone number on my hand so I could text him the minute I got my phone. I did as he said, got my phone back, and we’ve talked every single day since. Five days later, Zach took me to an Atlanta United game for our first official date. I was so certain that he was the one that, in the middle of the game, I stealthily texted my parents: I just met my husband. (Thankfully, he was too immersed in the game to notice.) From that moment on, it was Zach & Sammy against the world. Late-night talks, sharing our pasts, dreaming about the future—somewhere along the way, he became the best friend I've ever had. No one knows me better than he does. So why get married now, after seven years? Well, at this point, it just makes sense. We've always done things on our own timeline, exactly how we wanted to, and that feels pretty special. I love Zach so much that I would wait forever to marry him—but I’m also very excited to be on the same health insurance plan and to become Sammy Schorr because CUTE!

It was May 4th — and I remember that only because Sam was wearing a Star Wars t-shirt. “May the Fourth be with you.” Fitting, considering the force of nature that was about to enter my life. The night had started as a typical “guys night,” but plans shifted when one of my buddies mentioned a blind setup. I didn’t think much of it — until we pulled up and Sam came to the door. My first thought? “WHO. IS. SHE?” We exchanged a quick hello, a little small talk, and then got ready to head out for the night in Buckhead. As everyone was gathering themselves, Sam sat on the floor to put on her heels — the kind with two delicate straps across the top. She slipped on one with ease, and just as she went for the second, I instinctively reached out and offered my hand to help her up. She took it. But instead of letting go to finish adjusting her shoe, she kept holding it. Which meant she was now attempting to buckle the second heel using only her left hand — with very little success. And so we just stood there, hand in hand, while she struggled with her shoe. Five minutes passed… then ten… and probably another ten after that. It was borderline comical, but neither of us made a move to change it. We just… stayed there. Laughing. Smiling. Holding hands. That was the first moment I felt it — something quietly different. Like the world had paused. Later that night, something funny kept happening. Three strangers — people we had never met — asked us how long we’d been together. Once? Sure. Twice? Strange. But three times? That felt like a sign. Somewhere between tequila and laughter, Sam literally ran away from me. She claims now that she was so overwhelmed — “enamored,” in her words — that she didn’t know how else to handle it. I just think she was scared of how real it already felt. The next morning, May 5th, I woke up to a Facebook DM. It was Sam. Turns out she’d left her phone in the Uber the night before — and the only way to reach me was through Facebook. That DM turned into a conversation… which turned into a connection… and then everything changed. Within two weeks, we were inseparable. Within a month, I had a new best friend — and someone I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.