We're sure most of you have heard this story a just a few times lol, but for those who haven't, our love story is a beautiful testament to God's perfect timing—and the persistent matchmaking skills of our family! It all started when Sydney had just moved to Simpsonville and joined a new church. Sydney's mother came to visit one Sunday and, since she couldn't join Sydney in the Children's Ministry area, she settled down in the lobby. If you know Sydney's mom, you know she can talk to anyone and loves to overshare (which, in this case, was a total blessing!). A kind gentleman approached Sydney’s mom, who happened to be Kendall's Papa. The two struck up a conversation, and before long, Sydney's single status was on the table. Papa immediately knew he had just the guy: his grandson, Kendall. He even told Sydney's mom he felt like he was meant to be sitting right there, talking to her! Sydney gave her seal of approval, and later that day, Papa gave Kendall Sydney's number at their family dinner. Sydney sent a quiet prayer that day, asking God to give Kendall the courage to text her. It took one divine week, but Kendall finally sent that text and asked Sydney out. We truly believe our paths were meant to cross exactly when they did, and we feel God's guiding hand woven throughout our entire relationship. The rest, as they say, is history in the making!

We set our first date for the following week at Steam Coffee & Cream in downtown Fountain Inn, SC. We went into it blind-date style, not expecting much, but we were both pleasantly surprised! The conversation flowed instantly. Kendall ordered a hot Velveteen Squirrel coffee, and Sydney stuck to her tradition with a frappe (even in January!). We completely lost track of time. Coffee quickly turned into lunch, so we extended the date by walking over to The Farehouse. Sydney got pizza, and Kendall... well, he ordered something new as usual, the Low Country Scramble! We sat, ate, and talked for nearly four hours total, completely unaware that we had just met our partner for life. We left that day, realizing this was definitely more than just a blind date.

Kendall definitely gets an A+ for effort when it comes to planning a surprise, even if Sydney had her suspicions! The scheme started with a fakeout at a company 5K at Nettles Park and a promise of a fancy dinner later that evening—a dead giveaway, since Kendall never wears pants to dinner! Despite Sydney figuring out he had the ring a week prior, she played along. After the race and a necessary stop at Chick-fil-A, Kendall drove us to a meaningful spot: the Reflection Pond at Clemson University. He guided Sydney to the water's edge, and in a sweet rush of nerves, he got down on one knee. He told Sydney he felt it was truly God's plan for them to meet and that he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with her. It was perfect. Kendall had one more surprise: lunch at Lakeside Lodge with both of our immediate families, including Sydney's parents and grandparents. It was truly a special day!