next stop... Marriage!

On August 27th, 2022, Katie received a text from her nursing classmate, Anneke asking if she could set her up on a date with this guy named Zach. She sent a few photos and told Katie that she thought they would get along well. Katie agreed to the set up and told Anneke that she could share her number. August 27th just so happened to be Zach's birthday and Anneke got him the best birthday present he could receive. The number of her cutest nursing friend. 5 days later, Katie didn't think this Zach guy was ever going to text her... but then he did! Zach said he was busy the next couple weeks but would love to meet Katie. They set up a date at a wine bar - El Viñedo Local - which was coincidentally blocks away from a nerd convention (DragonCon) Zach was attending that weekend with all of his nerd friends. Zach and Katie immediately hit it off as they sipped wine and chatted about Zach's experience in a Korean cult. After the date, Zach exclaimed to Anneke and her boyfriend Bill (Zach's roommate at the time) that he thought Katie was out of his league. Katie told her roommates Shani and Heather that she thought he was kind of cute and there might possibly be something there. They set up a second date to go bowling, where Zach lost - he is no match for Katie's bowling skills, she did go to bowling camp after all. However, this wasn't just a loss for Zach, but a double loss as he and Katie bet on this game - the first of many lost bets for Zach. Winner of the bet would get driven back to their car by the loser and the loser also had to do the winner's dry cleaning. After bowling, Zach held up his end of the bet and drove Katie to her car, where they shared their first kiss. At this point, both Zach and Katie knew there was something there. They continued to go on dates and met each others friends and by October 14th 2022, Zach asked Katie to be his girlfriend. Zach and Katie have been on many big adventures together since then. Road trips to New Orleans and Valdosta, flights out to the west coast, and travelling internationally together. They have had smaller adventures as well - hanging with friends, camping, hiking, raising two kitties, and lots of cooking. Then Zach knew that it was time to get engaged and marry the love of his life (he also got plenty of hints from all the TikToks Katie sent him). He worked with Katie's Aunt Erin to get in contact with a jeweler in New Orleans that had made Erin's engagement ring. When the engagement ring was finished, Zach knew that Katie would eventually find the ring in the mail or in the house, so he sent it to his friends Paula and Richard. One night while Katie was unsuspecting, Zach made a trip to Kroger to get "Pizzas", but he really rendezvoused with Paula to get the ring. Zach then hid the ring in his brother Luke's room, the last place Katie would think to look. All this hiding and sneaking around to plan the perfect engagement was ruined when Katie snooped a little too far. She found a text to her best friend Marley on Zach's phone and couldn't resist the temptation - she looked and the text confirmed what she already suspected - the engagement would happen on April 27th. One night Katie told Zach that she knew when the proposal was going to happen and in response Zach showed Katie the engagement ring - He couldn't help it!!! But Katie was still surprised on the day of their engagement. After the proposal set to Taylor Swift's "Paper Rings", Katie's sister Jasmyne popped out of the bushes where she was hiding, surprising her little sister on her engagement day. Zach and Katie are so excited to share their wedding day with those who are nearest and dearest to their hearts! Get ready to celebrate with friends and loved ones as you experience this wonderful celebration of Zach and Katie's love and mawwiage.