Finally!

Kathleen and Steven both started attending the University of South Carolina in August of 2013, but they had no idea who the other was. Steven lived in Columbia Hall and worked hard in the Carolina Band and in his classwork as a Computer Science major. Kathleen was in the all-women Patterson Hall, copyediting for the Daily Gamecock and working toward a Mass Communications degree. In Fall of their sophomore year, Steven was in an apartment off campus in downtown Columbia and Kathleen was an RA in the Women's Quad in the heart of campus. They met on a website called OKCupid. Steven messaged Kathleen saying he was "very interested in journalism" in response to her major. It was a lie, but it got her attention and they started messaging back and forth. After a few weeks of conversations, talking about favorite Disney movies and many other things, they decided to meet. Kathleen was pretty sure he was a great guy, but just to be safe she insisted they meet at a local coffee shop across from the Horseshoe. When she opened the door she saw the boy from the pictures, in a ball cap, sitting in the booth at the entrance. They started talking and once she was 99% sure he wasn't a serial killer they decided to go to his apartment for dinner and a movie. Kathleen did the majority of the talking that night, going on about school and family and friends and Steven listened. They ate reheated spaghetti (Steven's cooking has come a LONG way) and watched the LEGO Movie and talked and laughed together. Steven really made Kathleen laugh, and that's when she knew it was something very special. They became inseparable, studying together, seeing each other between classes and embarking on watching every Disney movie ever together. Over Thanksgiving break, Steven called Kathleen and asked if he could tell his family she was his girlfriend, and she said yes. She had asked him a month earlier, the day after their first date, but he had yet to realize how right she tended to be. By Christmas break they were saying "I love you." They moved in with friends after Kathleen graduated and later moved into their own place while Steven worked on his degree and Kathleen worked in Columbia. There were holes in the floors, and once there were possums in the vents, but the house was always full of love. That first house is where they found Penny, the scruffy dog found eating a SlimJim in the parking lot of the convenience store across the street. Kathleen caught her with a handful of cheese and sent a picture to Steven, to which he replied "we can't have a dog." Over the next few days, Steven took the little raggamuffin around to hang flyers everywhere he could think of. He finally said "If we were to keep her, her name would be Penny." A few hours later they decided to keep her. Later in 2020, in a nicer place where dogs were actually allowed, they adopted a tiny puppy Kathleen's friend was fostering, and Richie became the most spoiled member of their little family. In 2021, they decided to take the trip they had been planning since their second date, a trip to Disney World. They scheduled it for November, the month they officially became 'boyfriend and girlfriend.' Kathleen was convinced they were getting engaged on this trip, until she asked her sister Megan for intel, and Megan assured her she would get engaged soon, but not in Disney World. They drove down to Florida, enjoying their favorite past time together, road trips. They enjoyed their first day in the Magic Kingdom, going on rides, seeing shows, having special meals, and finally seeing the fireworks. During the beautiful display, Steven leaned over to Kathleen and said "I need to ask you something." Kathleen had no idea what question he could have during this amazing show, so she quickly jerked her head over quickly, but didn't see Steven. Until she looked down and found him on one knee with his mother's ring. After a long engagement the two are so excited to finally say "I Do."

So we've known we wanted to get married since 2014, but life is a crazy thing! Due to finances, changing jobs, moving, loss and more life, it hasn't been possible to plan this wedding. While 4 years is a long time to be engaged, we are sure this is the perfect time to stand before our loved ones and vow to stand together forever.