We're getting married

Our story began in the summer of 2022, when we met through mutual friends just before I headed back to school. At the time, I had no idea that a simple introduction would turn into the greatest love story. A few short weeks later, Stephen reached out, wanting to get to know each other better. Of course, I took him up on that offer, and soon we were talking every single day—easily my favorite part of each day. As Halloween approached, I decided to host a party. I remember telling my friends that I wanted to invite Stephen, even though I was nervous, because this would be our very first “date.” The night couldn’t have gone any better. We laughed, talked, and continued learning more about each other with every moment. At one point, we found ourselves in my kitchen cleaning dishes from the night, and somehow that turned into an hour-long conversation. It was in that quiet, unexpected moment that our love story truly began. From that night on, we knew we wanted to keep pursuing each other. A few weeks later, we had our first official date—just the two of us—at a VT basketball game (sorry, Stephen… go Hokies). About a month later, we made it official. From then on, we fell more in love through spending time together, growing, and building a relationship rooted in friendship and care. As our story continued, so did many trips up and down I-81 while we navigated long distance during my time at school. Even after I completed my bachelor’s degree, the distance didn’t end—Stephen began his firefighter academy and career while I pursued my master’s degree at UVA. Through countless conversations about our future, we realized that we both wanted to spend forever with each other. On August 17, 2025, Stephen planned the most perfect day and proposed. We are endlessly grateful for God’s perfect timing, for guiding our paths, and for the friends who introduced us and unknowingly changed our lives forever.