We met on Hinge in August of 2019. We were both living in Tuscaloosa at the time. Amanda was finishing her last semester of nursing school and Travis was working at a local accounting firm. We both went to University of Alabama just not at the same time. Travis is 5 years older than Amanda so we didn't cross paths until getting on Hinge. Both of us had friends who told us to join the app and we got lucky and matched pretty soon after joining. We hit it off immediately and Travis asked Amanda out after a few days of texting back and forth. Our first date was easy and fun. The waiter had to keep coming back to the table to ask us what we wanted to order because we were so busy talking that we hadn't looked at the menu yet. Our date ended up being 5 hours long because conversation was easy and the night passed quickly while getting to know each other. We had 4 dates that week alone.

It's hard to pinpoint one specific moment. If we had to choose, we would both say the first wedding we went to in Mobile, AL in October 2019 for Travis' college friend Mac. Dancing to Whitney Houston ("I Wanna Dance With Somebody", of course) became our special dance song, and that wedding was the start of our special dance tradition!

I would say it's a collection of everything. Travis is incredibly supportive, kind, funny, gets along great with my family and friends, and he is the best dad to our cat Charlotte. Speaking of Charlotte, the main moment that comes to mind was when we decided to adopt her in March 2020. My dad was concerned with Travis and I getting a cat together so early in our relationship, but I had the hardest time seeing why that was a problem. I was so sure that Travis and I were going to end up together. He is my best friend and favorite person. It has never felt difficult being together, talking, traveling, or making big life choices.

There is a trend that we can usually point to trips we've taken as key moments in our relationship. The one trip I think that stands out for me is our Breckenridge trip in late October of 2020 (this will come full circle in the proposal story). After dealing with being cooped up for months in the pandemic, we decided to take a trip and landed on Colorado even though it wasn't ski season. Being in the mountains after a fresh snow was magical, and due to the lack of tourism during that time, we were able to spend all of our time together and really enjoy each other's company.

It finally happened on December 17th, 2023 in Breckenridge, CO. I say finally because I bugged Travis about getting engaged starting about 2 years prior (haha). I was told it would happen when the moment was right and to be patient, but I am not very good at that. We were on a ski/pre-Christmas trip with my family. Little did I know that Travis bought the ring in September and was waiting for the perfect time. On our first night in Breckenridge (of this trip) we all found a really pretty lit up and snowy spot that we all decided would be a great spot for pictures on our dress up night of the trip. (All of our Christmas trips involve one night where we get a little dressed up and take lots of pictures). Little did I know that Travis had decided that when we came back to take the pictures it would be the perfect time to propose. Travis had told my parents and my sister about 2 hours before he proposed (though my parents knew he had the ring already). Travis was sneaky and zipped the ring into the lining of the suitcase and no one acted weird leading up to it (because he told them right before) so I had no idea it was coming. We all took our pictures and it was time for Travis and I to take ours. Once we were about done I saw everyone's phones come out and I started to realize that something big was about to happen. Travis got down on one knee and I immediately burst into happy tears! I said yes! It was the perfect proposal and better than I ever imagined. It was definitely worth the wait!