One day, I was scrolling through Facebook Dating when I came across a photo of a man proudly holding a fish. Normally, I would’ve swiped left immediately—because let’s be honest, I do not “do nature.” But something about this guy made me pause. Maybe it was the beard, or maybe it was the flannel. I’ve always had a thing for big, bearded, lumberjack-type men—and this one definitely fit the bill. I scrolled through his profile a few times, debating my next move, before curiosity got the best of me. Then I read his bio: “Looking for my wife.” I remember thinking, Hmm… either he’s serious, or this guy’s got jokes. I decided to take a chance and swiped right. Not long after, a message popped up—from the bearded fish guy himself. His first words were something along the lines of, “You are absolutely stunning, amazing, beautiful…” and after just a few messages, he boldly asked, “Will you marry me already?” I laughed and replied, “We’re getting to that… hold on!” Not long after, we went on our first date at Nouvelle Brewing—now known as Pig Ate My Pizza (again). By the end of the night, we shared our first kiss right on Main Street, and it honestly felt just like a movie. And from that moment on… the rest is history.
We first met on Facebook Dating, and I remember thinking there was no possible way she meant to swipe right on me. She was absolutely gorgeous, and I was convinced fate had made a mistake in my favor. But as we talked, it became clear that she was far more than just beautiful. She met my sarcasm with grace, my strong personality with confidence, and somehow made me feel both challenged and completely at ease. From the very beginning, she felt different. I didn’t exactly make the start of our story smooth. Life got in the way, and I had to cancel our first two dates. More than a few voices—especially her best friend’s—told her to stop trying on me, and honestly, they had every reason to. I had been living the bachelor life for quite some time, and I wasn’t making the best case for myself. But she chose patience. She chose to stay. And that choice quietly changed the course of my life. I took my time, maybe because I already knew this was something worth doing right. Six months after our first date, I asked her to be my girlfriend. Afterward, we slow danced together in her kitchen apartment—no audience, no rush, just us. In that simple, beautiful moment, I knew she was the one my heart had been waiting for. And as if the universe loves a good full circle, I later found myself standing in the very same place where we shared our first kiss on our first date. This time, I asked her the most important question of my life. That’s where I asked her to be my forever person—and that’s where our forever truly began...