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Tejea Swanston

&

Samantha Mercado

October 25, 2026

Plant City, FL
115 days115 d21 hours21 h13 minutes13 min53 seconds53 s

How we met

First comes school, then comes marriage

We met in a summer chemistry course at The University of Tampa, where love quietly bubbled between lab benches and safety goggles. He was always sneaking glances my way and finding excuses to talk during labs, and eventually we both found the courage to turn those moments into something more. After school, we bonded over video games—Mortal Kombat was our favorite—and spent countless hours studying together in the library. Somewhere between friendly matches and shared notes, we became inseparable. Nearly ten years later, we’re still each other’s best friend. This October, we get to celebrate our love and officially begin the next chapter of our forever.

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