"I was still working at Chef Eric Johnson & Company, where we frequently catered big parties & fancy weddings. We took on a catering for a particular couple at the Mansion on Red Hill-- a fancy venue that I'll not soon forget. My coworkers at the time, Big Mike, James, & Liv, were working side by side serving in our respective stations on the patio-- our bosses were making sure all was well. Liv and I were working the bar (I apologize, Karen, for all the strawberry-lemonade moscato I sampled). This one young man kept striking up conversations with us, as he made repeated trips to get beers for others and himself -- I was thinking mainly himself, after watching him attempt to open a beer bottle on a concrete railing (with force). Towards the later parts of the night when we were starting to tidy up, he would stay and talk with us-- I recall taking a picture with him on his phone-- I really wish that picture had made it til today so that I could look back at this moment. He introduced himself as Dustin. After the cleanup was done, I noticed that he was no where to be found & it was time to pack up and leave. We loaded up the vans super quick like usual. So at this point I'm keeping it really close in my mind that I can use a bathroom break for one last look around for Dustin-- I did need to find a restroom, and I hadn't gotten his contact information after all. So we are nearly in our seats when the second van wouldn't start! Aha! Thank you, van-- to the restroom I went. Straight there, where I found Dustin standing the hall right beside the restrooms. He always has praised his impeccable timing. So It is mostly a blur how we hugged, and then I was asked for a drunken kiss-- bold right? Of course I declined because of the circumstances. I DID help him ask for my number and helped him put it in his phone. But you know... If I hadn't found him, I had already had the plans in my head to try and contact the wedding party in order to track him down again... Just in case.

My Brother's wedding was wrapping up and the reception was starting, I hadn't gotten quite hungry yet so upon having heard from my Dad that there was an open bar, which I had never indulged in before, made headway towards. Upon arriving at the open bar I saw two women standing jubilantly behind the table. One seemed younger and more bubbly and caught my eye so I walked up to her and asked her casually for a beer, I specifically remember her using a bottle opener on a twist top which i found hilarious. She was really cute, nice, and talkative to me, and I remember drinking at least 7-8 beers partially to have a reason to come talk to her. She told me she was part of the group catering to the wedding, and I complimented how great the food was. I told her about the bride and groom's cakes, and how delicious they were. I eventually brought her some of the grooms cake having already become smitten with her. I found out a lot about her such as where she was from, what she did for a living, her name, and a few of her interests and in the process became enamored with her. My admiration for her grew as the night drew on. Unfortunately the reception had to come to an end so a much more inebriated than usual version of myself searched for her hoping to ask for her number after being reminded by my Stepmother that I should, "Get that cute girl's phone number before its too late!" I searched frantically for her with slowed wits from the alcohol when by a divine luck she stumbled upon me near the bathrooms. She was able to decipher from my drunken ramblings that I was in search of her phone number to keep in touch with her. We hugged, she left, and I was driven to the hotel my parents and I were staying at. I texted her for hours afterwards until I could no longer stay awake, and awoke to the text messages in my phone a happy memory of the night before.

From the Bride: To those that have paths that crossed, guiding us to each other & to a brighter future, I just want to say thank you. Karen & Cody, thank you for choosing Chef Eric's. To Chef & Heather, thank you for having me -- for many things besides just helping direct me to this point. Thank you to my friends who pushed me this way in some way or another, be it a job offer or strange coincidences, there is no doubt in my mind that this is where I should be.