Two weeks before a golf tournament in Valdosta, Georgia, Aaron's grandmother asked if he was still single. After he confirmed, she mentioned a beautiful girl named Tatum who loved the Lord. Aaron ended up playing with Tatum's dad on the second day of the golf tournament. After Aaron had heard a little bit about her on the second hole, he was interested in meeting her. Tatum's dad called her while he was on his way back to Tampa. He talked through how it went and brought up a new player that year, Aaron. Tatum was open to the idea and soon after that day she received a text from him. They texted nonstop. When Tatum said she was flying up the next weekend with a friend to see a University of Tennessee game in Knoxville, Aaron asked if he could come meet her. He was living in Nashville at the time, but he made the drive on November 3rd. After they spent the day walking around downtown, both of them felt like they had caught up with an old friend instead of meeting for the first time. Plans for the next date were already made before Tatum got on her flight home. Trips between Tampa and Nashville were frequent until Aaron's job was thankfully transferred to a Tampa project.

Aaron had asked Tatum's dad on April 12th and tentatively planned the engagement weekend for August 16th. They drove up to Amelia Island to see their extended families the weekend before Tatum's graduate orientation at the University of Florida. They had gone on a walk on the beach and were picking up shark teeth as they went. Aaron had said he found another one. When he knelt down, he showed her the ring and of course she said yes. As they walked up the boardwalk, Aaron had surprised her with their closest friends. To end the day, friends and family celebrated with them at the Green Turtle downtown.