When I was in middle school, I remember telling my best friend that one day, I was going to date Garrett Bates. I never imagined it would actually come true—let alone that I’d be marrying him. Garrett and I lived just ten minutes apart our entire lives, but our paths never crossed until God's perfect timing brought us together. I still remember the first time he texted me—I was so excited, I didn’t respond for 24 hours! After a while of talking, Garrett asked me on a date to The Palace on December 8, 2023. A month later, on January 9, 2024, he officially asked me to be his girlfriend. From that point on, we both knew that God had placed us in each other’s lives at exactly the right time. Since then, we’ve been best friends and each other’s biggest supporters. Even with miles between us, our love only grew stronger. And now, I get to marry the man I prayed for—someone who feels like home in every way.

After a day on Lake Seminole selling hats for Garrett’s collaboration with GatorTail Outboards, he told me to get ready, because we were going to The Palace to celebrate. When he picked me up, I noticed he was wearing khakis, which I thought was a little odd. Before I had much time to think about it, my mom called and said my dad had lost his phone—and I needed to track it. Turns out, it was in my daddy’s cow pasture. So off we went to find it. Garrett drove up nowhere near the location of the phone, and I started complaining because he was making me walk farther than necessary. Little did I know, he wasn’t worried about the phone—he was grabbing the ring from his door’s cupholder. I picked up the phone, ready to run back to the truck and finally get my chicken pot pie from The Palace. But when I turned around… he was on one knee. After a moment of total disbelief, I said yes. We’re so excited to start this next chapter of our lives— See y'all at High Grove!