We met on an online dating platform, Bumble, while Abby was completing graduate school in Manhattan, KS and Brandon was living in Topeka. Abby had accidentally swiped right on Brandon's profile after seeing just his picture and had to go back and read more about this man as it was an immediate match! Brandon took Abby on their first date October 16, 2019 and sparks flew! A month later, Brandon officially asked Abby to be his girlfriend and sparks once again flew ... due to their growing feelings for each other and a minor car accident that took place later that night. The rest is history!

Abby and Brandon had been discussing getting married and how Abby might like to be proposed to for a few months prior to the engagement. Still, this did not diminish the surprise of the moment in the slightest! Brandon had accompanied Abby and some of her family on a vacation to Captiva, Florida in June of 2021. The trip was to celebrate the recent graduations of several family members, but little did Abby know Brandon was conspiring with Abby's Dad, Stepmom, and sisters to plan the most magical end to the trip. Prior to the trip, Abby's co-workers had joked that she would be getting engaged on this trip to Florida which prompted her to muse about this possibility. Of course, Abby had to share this seemingly absurd notion with Brandon when she got home. Brandon, cool as a cucumber, replied that of course he had considered this too but had been unable to make the trip to Wichita to speak with Abby's father to ask for her hand in marriage. Abby immediately accepted this and completely let go of the idea of getting engaged on the Florida trip. Once on the trip, several romantic moments passed without much thought from Abby as the couple enjoyed a spectacular trip with family. On the last day of the vacation Abby's sisters, Emma and Victoria, made plans for everyone to go take pictures down on the beach before dinner. Abby thought they were both nuts because the most humid/hot time of day in this part of Florida is about the same time they were wanting to take pictures on the beach. Still, they convinced her to get dressed up and head down to the beach. At the beach, Emma and her husband Ethan took cute couple's pictures which they then prompted Brandon and Abby to mimic their poses for their own couples' pictures. Abby begrudgingly went through the poses with Brandon getting grumpy as she felt her hair frizzing out and her makeup melting off in the sun. The last pose was a kissing picture and Abby gave a quick kiss to Brandon and then began turning to head back. Brandon pulled Abby back to him, kissed her again and then proceeded to get down on one knee. Suffice to say Abby was beyond shocked but of course said yes! The newly engaged couple took a few more pictures on the beach before heading back to celebrate with Champaigne, a delicious dinner and cake with family! At the celebration, the family and Brandon took great pleasure in sharing all of the secret planning moments that happened both before and during the trip without Abby's knowledge.