From 2009 to 2017, Serra and Russell missed numerous opportunities to connect. Both attended Burns High School at the same time, both attended Appalachian State University at the same time, and both crossed paths without realizing or thinking anything of it too many times to count. In the Summer of 2017, both found themselves back home in Cleveland County preparing to transition into new chapters of their life: Serra for graduate school, and Russell for culinary school. In the meantime, however, they spent time with friends and family for the summer and eventually found themselves in the same place with the same people on multiple occasions. After a couple months of flirting and casual dates their relationship began to blossom. On the night of November 4th of 2017 at Burning Banjo V, Russell asked Serra a simple question: "what are we?" Serra, somewhat reluctantly, said "I don't know". She would eventually come around, however, and they even went so far as to make their relationship "Facebook official." Though both would spend the next couple years constantly busy between work and school, they spent every waking moment together that they possibly could. Countless meals together, dog park visits, and cozy nights in later, Russell proposed to Serra on July 19th, 2020. Now that they find themselves less than a year out from the date of the wedding, they're extremely excited to invite their closest friends and family to come and celebrate!