09.01.2023

Hello, it’s Ashlee! Denell and I first met at Meadowlake Golf and Swim in 2012. My grandma worked in the pro-shop and was able to get me free passes to the pool each summer. Denell worked as a lifeguard there. There was one day my best friend Mary told me that this lifeguard kept looking at me. Once I saw him, I immediately thought he was really cute. :) We started joking around and talking to each other whenever Mary and I would go up to the snack shop at the pool to get pop or cotton candy. Eventually, we exchanged numbers and always kept in touch. We remained friends throughout the years, and then started dating my freshman year of college in January 2017. We have had the best four years of dating and an even better two years engaged. I’m so beyond happy that Denell asked me to marry him and spend the rest of our lives together!

Hey, it’s Denell! I always knew Ashlee was special to me, and I made the decision that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her pretty easily. We had talked about getting married, and I knew all she wanted was to be genuinely surprised when I proposed to her. I knew that was going to be a challenge, because she figures out everything. We previously went on a great date in Cleveland to the zoo and out to a restaurant on the water. We often talked about going back to where we had dinner for another date night. After thinking of how to surprise her, I figured this would be the perfect cover. I asked her if she wanted to do another date night there. She had no clue what was coming. After dinner, we went out to this old railroad bridge that ended at the edge of Lake Erie to take photos. As she was facing the water, I got down on one knee and said her name. When she turned around, I asked her to marry me - she was so surprised! She said yes! I even had her best friends Mary and Claire meet up with us afterwards to surprise her yet again, and celebrate with us!