Welcome to our Adventure: Part 2

Due to the global pandemic, our desire to keep our loved ones safe, and the want to celebrate our love and family properly, we have decided to postpone our big ceremony to October 2021. On 10-10-20 Gary and I, and a few family members will be on a mountain saying our vows. We would love for you to join us digitally and pour one out for us.

In the spring of 2014 I interviewed at Appalachian State University in a lab and was introduced to the undergrad researcher Gary who would be starting the program at the same time as me. Gary likes to say I clacked into his lab and his life was never the same. Fast forward to August and we were in most of our classes together. He quickly became a close friend, who I taught biostatistics, hung out with in full crazy dance makeup, and ended up being my hiking buddy. When I got out of a trying relationship, Gary was the friend who listened, understood me, and never asked me to change.

Black Friday 2017 Gary and I made plans to go to back up to Boone, NC where we met to meet with Gary's best friend Colton. The whole day was about grabbing tacos at our favorite taco place, hanging out with friends, walking downtown and stopping off at my favorite winery. Gary kept asking about the winery on the way up to Boone, I kept putting it off saying its better if we go by on the way out. We had previously gone ring shopping and looked at what we both liked, but Gary kept telling me it wasn't possible for a while. The following weekend we were supposed to go to Universal, and I was convinced if he was going to propose he would do it there. We spent the day hanging out and finally made it to the winery, where Gary hurried to find a table by the river. We gave Colton our Christmas presents and Gary gets all excited and pulls out a long box covered in shark wrapping paper and says there is a present for you too. I get all excited because it's clearly a wand box and I tell Gary, "I know what this is!" and he says "I bet you don't" Gary took the box back after I had it unwrapped and spinned it around. I opened the box to a wand with "Accio Wife" and a shimmering aquamarine ring. Gary dropped to one knee while Colton snapped pictures and said "you told me there were three rules, I had to ask your dad for permission, I had to make it a surprise, and I had to use your full name, So Laura Victoria Ellis, will you marry me?"