6.4.2027

Believe it or not, we grew up an hour and 10 minutes from each other. Went to college 2 hours away from each other, and didn’t cross paths until 2022. It all started with a random encounter at work — one of those unexpected moments that life seems to plan just right. Our first encounter wasn't much to write home about. (But you bet after going to his store to pick up a car, I surely told my manager he was cute... and maybe a few other co-workers). There was an instant spark, but neither of us said anything at first. Fate decided to step in a month or two later through a helpful coworker, who let Dalton know that I might be a little interested in him. (Okay, maybe more than a little!) Thankfully, Dalton got the hint — and the courage, to ask me out on a date. Our first date was at Lee’s Pint & Shell in Canton. Between the loaded tater tots, B-more burrito (which is still our fav), laughter, and some drinks, something just clicked. That night, we both left knowing this was something special. After hanging out for a little while (not even 3 months) Dalton asked me to be his girlfriend. I said… no. Yep, I actually said no. (Gotta keep him on his toes, right?) Two weeks later — at 2 a.m. after a night out — he asked again. This time, on November 19th, 2022, I said yes. I had to make him work for it a little! What Dalton didn’t realize was that I had already started slowly moving in. Each overnight bag had a few more clothes, but somehow always went back to my place empty. By month four, I was pretty much living there — whether he liked it or not! Eventually we moved in together... plus a couple roommates. Our life together really begun. From date nights, to nights out in Canton, our connection grew stronger and stronger. And now, here we are — ready to spend forever together. After some time, we decided to get our own place—just the two of us. But that didn’t last long once we (I) decided we needed a four-legged addition to the family. That’s when Paisley, as many of you know her, came into our lives. Paisley quickly became the center of our world — equal parts sass and snuggles, with a talent for stealing socks, attention, and pretty much every photo she’s in. From spontaneous zoomies to dramatic sighs when we leave the house, she’s been our built-in entertainment and cuddle buddy. Safe to say, our little trio was complete. Life together has been a wild, wonderful mix of traveling across the country, our fair share of Ravens games, a constant battle of trying to make me a Yankees fan, and figuring out how to adult — one grocery trip at a time. Somehow, we’ve managed to turn mismatched furniture and Daltons limited space for his “decorations” aka, sports memorabilia, into a real home, full of love, laughter, and yes… plenty of dog hair. From that first awkward “hey” when picking up that car, to planning a wedding, it’s been a journey full of surprises, inside jokes, and more happy tears than either of us expected. And now, surrounded by all of you — our favorite people — we’re beyond excited to take the next step and make it official (finally!). We cannot wait to celebrate, dance, and probably ugly-cry with you all. Thanks for being part of our story — and cheers to the next chapter!