We met through the Newport Theatre Guild during a production of Annie. Throughout rehearsals, we were just castmates—friendly, but never thinking much beyond the show. It wasn’t until the final curtain fell that we really noticed each other, and from that moment on, something just clicked. What started as a simple theatre connection quickly grew into something deeper and more meaningful. Since then, our journey together has been full of changes and challenges—him going through basic training, me moving away to college, and finally facing the distance of deployment. Each season has tested us, but it’s also shown us how strong our love really is. Through every mile and moment apart, we’ve supported each other, grown together, and held onto the promise of our future. What began on stage turned into something we never expected but now couldn’t imagine life without. As we look ahead to marriage, we’re excited to continue writing our story – side by side, for the rest of our lives.

The day he proposed started off as what I thought would be a fun, normal date—we had plans to see Cage the Elephant in concert that evening, but he mentioned wanting to stop by a lake beforehand. Thankfully, my roommates were in on the surprise and had made sure I had my nails done earlier that week, which I didn’t think much of at the time. Now I know they were helping him set the stage for something much bigger! As we got ready to head to the lake, the weather took a turn—it started pouring rain. I could tell he was getting a little worried, but he tried to play it off and stay relaxed. Since the weather wouldn’t let up, we drove around for almost an hour, hoping the rain would ease up soon. Eventually, it slowed just enough for us to get out of the car and make our short hike to the lake. When we crossed a little bridge and reached the water, everything felt still and peaceful. That’s when he turned to me, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him. I was absolutely stunned—totally caught off guard and speechless. After a few moments of total shock, I finally said yes. Then came another surprise—he had secretly arranged for a photographer to be there. He managed to capture the moment without me noticing and did a mini photo shoot of us by the lake, making the day feel even more magical. Afterward, we grabbed dinner and headed to the concert, where we celebrated the beginning of our forever. It was perfectly imperfect, completely unforgettable, and better than I ever could have imagined.