Amore in Sorrento!

Some love stories begin with a grand romantic gesture, but ours started with a conversation about coffee. Over eight years ago, we met at work at Piedmont Healthcare, crossing paths as leaders in a bustling environment. Ryan, always the talkative and gregarious one, jumped into a conversation I was having about a coffee flavor I was obsessing over. I remember thinking, Wow, he’s got outgoing!—but beyond that, we were simply acquaintances. Fast forward to 2019, when our circles started to overlap more. We were in Columbus, Georgia, for work, and I invited a group of colleagues to grab dinner. Somehow, everyone bailed—except for Ryan. And not only were we the only ones from our group who showed up, but we were quite literally the only customers in the entire restaurant. Over sushi and sake, we talked for hours. What started as a simple dinner turned into a night filled with easy conversation and unexpected connection. We both walked away thinking, That was surprisingly great. But the moment—the one where everything changed—happened a few weeks later, on a warm summer night. We met for dinner, and for the first time, there were butterflies. The first-date kind of jitters. We laughed, reminisced, and shared stories in a way that felt different this time. It was effortless, exciting, and undeniable. That night, we fell for each other. Five years later, here we are—ready to say I do in beautiful Sorrento, Italy. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Ryan was in full stealth mode. He planned a weekend getaway—just the two of us—which was my first clue that something was up. Ryan never plans trips, so I knew he was up to something. But where were we going? His home—Fort Lauderdale. We spent the weekend soaking up the sun, the ocean breeze, and, of course, indulging in amazing food. Every moment was perfect, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something bigger was coming. Then came dinner at Eddie V’s. As we were being shown to our table, I spotted familiar faces—friends of ours, sitting there, smiling. And just like that, my suspicions were confirmed. I turned around, and there he was—Ryan, down on one knee. It was the easiest yes of my life. Now, we’re counting down to forever! ❤️