Ashley had spent years searching for something she couldn’t quite name. From cities to connections, first dates to fresh starts, she kept an open heart—but nothing ever felt quite right. Her friends would joke that she was “picky,” but deep down she just knew what she was looking for didn’t come easy. Garrett, on the other hand, had stayed too long in a relationship that wasn’t meant to last. He believed in loyalty, in love, and in working through the tough stuff—but sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is let go of what’s not right to make space for what is. Then, one day, they matched. A swipe, a spark, and something shifted. From the very beginning, their connection felt different—natural, easy, and somehow familiar, like a conversation they had been waiting to have their whole lives. What started with a simple match quickly turned into shared laughter, long conversations, and a sense of home neither of them had felt before. They often say timing is everything, and in this case, it couldn’t be more true. Two people, shaped by their own journeys, ready at just the right moment to finally find each other. So here they are—proof that even when love takes the long way around, it always knows exactly where it’s going.

Our proposal story is comical and sweet, two of our favorite things. While preparing for our vacation at the end of May to Panama City Beach, Garrett was VERY insistent on going on a nice date night out. He kept saying that we had not gone on a fancier date night in too long. Fast forward to our fourth day of vacation, and Garrett, who is the most laid-back person and is never concerned about timelines, had been stressing about time all day, to the point he was ready 2 hours early (if you know Garrett, you know this is super unusual). He also ripped his shoelace in half when tying his shoe, and was so upset. I texted Candace while getting ready that he was acting super weird, and I wondered if this would be the night. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were seated under this stunning indoor tree with firefly lights. Dinner was incredible, but I had convinced myself that I was wrong and we would not be getting engaged this night. As desert was set on the table, Garrett took my hands and said, “before we eat our dessert, I wanted to do something... You’re my best friend and I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with you.” He then got down on one knee and a sea of applause erupted in the restaurant. While not the original plan, I wouldn’t change the special time we got to spend together.