We're getting married!

We were kids - seniors at a high school house party when we met. Our mutual friend thought it was a good idea to introduce us to each other. He walked over - it was kind of story book worthy - we immediately had a connection. That next night, we talked for hours on the phone - we were instant friends. However, the timing for more was not quite right. But little did we know, the night we met sparked a flame that would last for years to come. Ashton moved away to Atlanta that summer, and I was gearing up for my first semester at Xavier University. Although we were hundreds of miles apart, distance didn’t seem to ruin our friendship or connection. Call it fate or random chance, we would always seem to run into each other in the most random places throughout the years - even one time on a Bahamian island! Every time - there we were to each other. No matter the location, the world seemed to always bring us together. Fast forward a few years, Ashton moved back home while I was finishing up my last year in college. Unbeknownst to us, fate would draw us together again, much in the manner that we met. At a random party, while I was strolling with my sorority sisters, Ashton spotted me in the crowd and made sure to get my attention. According to him, I stood out like a warm familiar light in a dark crowd. And for me - my face lit up when I realized who it was standing in front of me. We spoke briefly at the party, and made plans to catch up that upcoming week. It took not much more than that one date to realize that that flame was permanent. This time, we don’t let go.

It was September 29th - my birthday. My closest family and friends know I’ve always cherished birthdays the most. Ashton, of course, had grown very accustomed to this. It was a pretty big one, so he wanted to make sure this one was special. My friends told me that we were doing a photo shoot to commemorate the event (we all know how much I love those) and then go to dinner and get drinks after. I got all glitzy and glam, rode over to the location with a friend, walked into the building...and surprise!! It was a surprise birthday party. I’ve never had one of those in my entire life, so naturally I busted out in tears. Ashton, my family, and friends had planned the whole thing. We partied the night away - there was even a video dedication - and I thought it was winding down to an end. Ashton took me outside so that the photographer could get some photos of just us by the water fountain. After the most beautiful words I’ve ever heard him say, even though he claimes he stumbled through them, he got on one knee and popped the question. I cried and the only thing I said, the only thing I could have ever said, was YES! I turned around, and our entire world was watching and cheering us on too.