We're getting married!

Ben and Natalia’s story began in Tampa, FL on June 25th, 2021 at a crowded bar. Ben was sitting comfortably watching the game when he realized this beautiful woman a couple feet behind him was lost in a sea of people with an almost-zero chance of getting the bartender’s attention. He made room for her to join him at the bar where he thought she'd order her drink then be on her way, but to his surprise, this stunning beauty commandeered his seat and had no intention of giving it back. They talked and laughed for hours, impervious to the roaring of the bar just inches from their smiling faces. Natalia broke the news that she didn’t live in Tampa – or even Florida for that matter, but Alabama! Ben wasn’t deterred. After she returned home, they spent most nights on FaceTime and even made trips to see one another. On September 5th, 2021, they decided to date long-distance, and after 6 months, Ben moved to Birmingham so they could date locally. Together, they adopted a 3-month-old Boxer, Rambo, who chewed up almost everything in Ben’s apartment. While living in Birmingham, Natalia and Ben travelled together making trips to Cancun and Oahu! After about a year, Ben knew that she was the love of his life, and on December 28th, 2022, he proposed to her at the Garfield Conservatory in Chicago with her family and friends hiding in the nearby bushes. Since then, Natalia has graduated Dental School from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a commitment to practice dentistry in the Army. Her residency brought them to Fort Campbell in Clarksville, TN where they reside today.