I'd love to say that we have this super romantic "meet-cute", "love at first sight" type of story, but no, ours is a modern romance; the kind that starts with a DM on Instagram and turns into the sweetest love you've ever known. The kind that waltzes into your life when you're least expecting it, demanding that you give it a chance (que ABBA's 1977 hit "Take a Chance on Me").

I knew after our first date at my apartment, the night before Halloween 2018, that this was something special. Dillon had somehow convinced me (biggest scaredy cat on the planet) to watch a scary movie, but really it was just background noise ft. Michael Myers, because we spent the entirety of the movie talking, laughing and joking like old friends (If you were thinking anything else just then...get your mind out of the gutter!)

At the time, I didn't think I was ready for a relationship. But like many other times in my life, God proved yet again that His plan for me is far better than the plan I have for myself. Dill must have known that too, because 3 months after our first date, he says "hey, I've kind of been telling my friends we've been dating, is that cool?". Shakespeare couldn't have written it better himself.

But truthfully, we wouldn't be where we are today if it weren't for him. He reminded me that sometimes, you don't fall in love, you jump into it. Feet first, arms up, hand-in hand. And sometimes, it turns out to be the best decision you've ever made.

We can't wait to share this next season of our lives with all our closest friends and family, and of course, to dance our hearts out!!

It was 2017 spring semester of my Junior year at Charleston Southern. I came across this beautiful girl on social media and saw that she went to high school with my roommate’s girlfriend. So I did what any college guy would do and I asked her to put in a good word for me. Only to get shot down faster than the speed of light because this girl was off the market. Talk about taking the wind out of your sails.

Fast forward to fall of 2018, I’ve graduated college and baseball days are behind me. I am at that weird point in life where you’re trying to figure everything out and what you want to do, etc. This beautiful girl pops back up on my Instagram feed and I was drawn to her the same way I was a year prior. Only this time, I heard through the grapevine that she was single. I decided to take matters into my own hands this time and as the kids say, “I slid right into those DMs”. I don’t know what she was thinking, but she agreed to go out with me.

Our first date, I was so embarrassed to bring her to my own house because when you’re living with 4 guys in a house with no dishwasher, you can imagine what it might look (and smell) like. It was the day before Halloween in October of 2018, we watched the Michael Myers Halloween movie from the 1970s and we both laughed and joked about how far movies have come. The entire night though, I could not focus fully on the movie because I was just so drawn to how beautiful this girl was. She had such a captivating presence and an amazing personality. I knew then I had feelings for this girl that I had never had before. I couldn’t leave that night without kissing her. I had been dreaming of that moment since 2017 (when she first rejected me). But like Shelby’s favorite artist Taylor Swift said, there was an invisible string tying us together.

A couple months go by and things are going great. I asked Shelby to be my girlfriend on December 4th , 2018. In typical Shelby fashion, she made me work for it. The first time I asked her she thought it was too soon, but I knew I was meant to be with this girl. So on December 4th I didn’t give her much of a choice, I told her “hey is it cool if I start telling my friends you’re my girlfriend?” and the rest is history. (She did say yes, people….)

I knew I loved her but I didn’t want to be the first to say it. It only took me a few months to finally cave and confess my love for Shelby. When I told her I loved her, she responded with “are you sure?”. This made me laugh because OF COURSE IM SURE BABE!!! I had a found a best friend and someone I saw the rest of my life all in this 5’5 blonde hair, hazel eyes, hard headed ball of joy.

The rest is history, as they say! My love for Shelby has continued to grow over the years throughout our many adventures we share traveling and exploring the world. We love a great time out with friends but value our peace and quiet together at home just the two of us. We love being by the ocean and love ourselves a good concert. Italian food? Give us all the carbs. I will take credit for turning her into a sci-fi nerd because I introduced her to Star Wars, Marvel and Harry Potter movies and she might love them more than me now which is hard to believe! While we share so many things in common, it’s the things we don’t share that have helped me grow as a person. She completes me, and I cannot wait to marry my best friend and my soulmate on May 4th, 2025.

May the 4th be with you!