Our love story began quietly, long before either of us knew it would become this. We first met when Steven was a junior in high school. Life was simple then, and feelings were unspoken, but even back then, little did Marquel know, Steven felt something special was there. Life took us in different directions, and for nearly 15 years, we remained distant friends, always connected in the background and always somehow aware of each other’s presence. From afar, Steven admired the woman Marquel was becoming, always admiring her strength, her beauty, her heart, and her drive. Although this was from a distance, deep down, he always knew she was meant for him & he was the perfect fit for her; The timing just had not caught up yet. Then one day, destiny showed up in a McDonald’s drive thru. Somehow, Some way, Marquel heard Steven’s voice ordering from the car window in front of her. Now if you know Steven, you know he loves his cars with privacy tint, so this had to be faith & an act of GOD; because moments later, Steven’s phone rang. Who was calling? You guessed it, Marquel. Yes, Marquel technically stalked him (lovingly, of course) But without hesitation, Steven answered. One unexpected moment, one laugh, one quick conversation, and suddenly the distance of 15 years disappeared like it never existed. What makes our story even funnier is that our lives had already been overlapping. Our daughters were on the same cheer team, cheering side by side at every competition, while Marquel spent the entire time thinking Steven was somebody’s uncle. Plot twist: she had no idea he would actually become her future husband. Some would say it takes multiple dates to make a good impression, but if you ask Steven, the first date sealed the deal. This date was special, something fun & cute, but would allow us to vibe & rekindle a friendship neither one of us knew we needed. Marquel walked into Putt Shack fully confident, absolutely certain Steven would let her win at mini golf. She was ready to smile sweetly and accept her victory. What she was not prepared for was Steven beating the brakes off her and showing no mercy. Still, the score didn’t matter. It was all about the laughs, the friendly competition, and the sparks flying after every hole. From that Saturday afternoon & moving forward, weekend after weekend, Steven had a date planned, date itinerary ready, with clear intentions of showing Marquel the type of man he was, and showing her how much her attention mattered to him. What started as a simple “like” on Instagram, followed by a few cute messages in the DM’s, slowly turned into something neither of us ever imagined possible. Our love evolved into an everlasting, bombshell kind of love, the kind that feels safe, passionate, playful, and unshakable all at once. A love that waited patiently. A love that grew naturally. A love that arrived exactly when it was meant to. Looking back now, it is clear we were always part of each other’s story. We just needed time to turn the page. And now, here we are, choosing each other every day, forever!!