Celebrating Our Love

It's hard to say exactly when we first met. That's because we probably had met several times before we actually noticed each other. Ryan's best friend growing up was the older brother of one of Alex's best friends (shoutout to the Shoemakers!) and we often hung out as part of a larger group, sharing laughs & making good memories, not knowing what our future would hold. Fast forward to 2018, Landon and Lisa's wedding. We were both guests, and this time we noticed each other. A great night of food, drinks and dancing led to a first date a few days later. That date led to three and a half years of bonding over a shared love of the beach, silly jokes and dogs - especially Alex's dog Finn, who did fall in love with Ryan at first sight. When COVID hit in 2020, we decided to take our relationship to the next level and move in together. It gave us the chance to grow our love through lots of quality time spent with each other, home projects, and making the difficult decision of what to have for dinner each night.

We planned a mini getaway to celebrate Alex's 30th birthday in December 2021. Ryan knew all along that this would be when he popped the question. We settled on a nice riverside resort & spa in Maryland. Ryan spent a lot of time online in the weeks leading up to the trip scouting out potential proposal spots. Luckily the weather was warm enough that we could spend time outside. Prior to going out for Alex's birthday dinner, Ryan suggested taking a walk along the water to take photos, a great excuse to bring the selfie stick/tripod he would use to snap the perfect picture of our engagement. The ring was hidden in the pocket of a jacket that Ryan was carrying. When we reached the end of the pier to take pictures, Ryan dropped to one knee & asked the most important question of our lives, to which Alex said "Yes!".