Bret and I first saw each other in a hallway at NC State University during my first week of grad school in August, 2016. Immediately twitterpated, I looked down at the ground to avoid eye contact, which I never do. We then met again at “bug camp” (we were getting our masters degrees in Entomology). We continued as friends for seven months, until he asked me to be his girlfriend. I walked into my office on campus one day and noticed there was fresh pressed juice sitting on my desk. I knew it had to be him because he would always make fun of the juice I drank daily! He bought a juice titled “Kale me maybe?”

We moved (temporarily) to California five days before he proposed and our moms helped us with our move across the country. I wanted to treat to a nice day of wine tasting at Castello di Amorosa in Calistoga, CA. After a bit of wine (which he claims he needed to calm his nerves) and exploring, we went outside into the vineyard to pick some grapes and get a picture of the castle! I was eating grapes and saw that our moms were facing me and the castle for a picture. Bret was standing right in the middle of their view. I told Bret to move out of the way so that they could get a picture of the vineyard/castle (I had no idea what was going on/why he was standing there in front of them). Of course, he played along and moved out of the way. Then my mom said, “okay we got the picture of the castle, now let us take a picture of you two in front of it!” So we took a picture together (I am still shoving grapes into my face) and then I heard “you know how much I love you right?!” I turned around, my jaw dropped, as did the grapes. He continued with “Shawnee Cecelia Gundry, will you marry me…” and I completely blacked out from there, nearly fainting (haha thanks POTS)! I was in complete shock and did not believe what was happening.