Andy and I met right before the pandemic. I had just started working at Cobalt in Orange Beach, in March 2020. If you ask me, I do not remember our first conversation but Andy remembers everything I said. To be honest, I ignored him and brushed off the attention. After a long and busy summer season, I cut back my schedule to return to school full-time to finish my bachelor's degree. Andy messaged me and asked if I still worked at Cobalt, and I was surprised the cute boy noticed I wasn't there. After some back and forth texting, he invited me for drinks at the Sports Bar in Perdido. I did what any normal girl would do - I brought my sister. Over drinks we realized we grew up in the same neighborhood, both had hamsters with the same name as children, and got along great. Andy invited me to play golf with him for our second date. I had never held a golf club, but fake it till you make it, I guess! We went to brunch for our third date, and never left each other's side after that! After six months, we traveled to Costa Rica together. I was shocked my parents let me out of the country with a man. We had so much fun and got along perfectly, even during the stress of travel. That's when we got the travel bug and vacationed to Las Vegas, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, & Idaho. We also set the goal to visit all the national parks (only 58 more to go). Andy & I moved in together in the summer of 2022, and bought our perfect first house in May of 2023. We were actually in Sedona, Arizona when the realtor called! Andy is the calm to my storm. He is the most patient man I have ever met, and treats me like a princess. I have always dreamed of the qualities my husband would possess. I knew almost instantly that Andy had every quality and more. I cannot wait to build a life with him, build a happy home full of love, and be his wife.

I remember the first time I saw Bri. A new hire, clad in her purple shirt at Cobalt. I thought to myself, “Whoa her hair is so beautiful! Great hire, John.” A week later the restaurant shut down due to the covid pandemic. Two months later we returned to the restaurant and it was the busiest season I have ever worked. The summer flew by in an instant and before I knew it we were approaching Fall. As the workflow began to tamper, I noticed Bri wasn’t in the restaurant. It’s peculiar because I hadn’t thought I paid much attention to her over the summer months; however, I couldn’t help but wonder if she was gone. Determined to find out where she had gone, I played it cool by DMing her on Facebook. “You still at Cobalt?” To which she replied, “Yes, I switched my availability to the weekends for school.” Okay, she isn’t gone forever, I thought. That's great! Once I knew she hadn’t left, I did what any player would have done. I ghosted her. My foolish way to plant the seed. I wanted her to think about me too since she was taking up real estate in my mind. Lucky for me it worked. She started picking up weekday shifts and turned her attention to me. She would tell you she was playing me, but she didn’t know she was dealing with a Sensei. As work slowed down we found ourselves building a connection, sharing stories, and subtly flirting. I found myself constantly impressed by her intelligence and beauty. “How is she so smart and beautiful?” I would ask myself. At this time I was preparing for a vacation with my friends to California. Bri showed interest in my frequent travels, sparking a desire in me to impress her. I wanted her to like me so much, it's almost embarrassing. Being Mr. Cool, I told her it was just something I like to do every few months. Her eyes twinkled. I knew she wanted to know more about me. I took a deep breath to keep my composure so she didn’t see through my false bravado. I wanted to know more about her too. I told her to put her number in my phone. She hesitated for a moment, but I was Mr. Cool. Then I proceeded NOT to text her the whole time I was in California. She must have thought I was Mr. Tool. Truthfully I thought about her the entire time I was in California. I didn’t want to seem like a dork and text her while I was on vacation. In reality, I was looking forward to seeing her when I came back to work. Fast forward a few awkward dates, I think we both realized there was no reason to play Jedi mind tricks. I let my guard down and allowed myself to be vulnerable with her. Knowing I could be hurt if she decided not to be with me was difficult, but I wanted so badly to give it a shot. There was just something special about her and I had to see where this thing would go. Best decision ever. In Bri, I found my best friend and confidant. Over nearly four incredible years, she has brought warmth and support into my life like a comforting blanket on a winter night. She is stunningly beautiful, gentle, kind, supportive, and brilliant. Her ambition and resilience are motivating to me. Bri is truly exceptional, and I consider myself incredibly fortunate to soon marry this remarkable woman. I eagerly anticipate a future filled with adventures, memories, and boundless love together.